Back to Work For a Day

I think it's ironic that having a job is called "work" and being a mom isn't. What do people think motherhood is, a hobby?

I went back to work today to help out with checkouts (I worked for over a year at an apartment complex in south Provo) and sure, it was work, but it was nothing less than I do every day as a mom and homemaker.

Entertaining and feeding an 8-month old while trying to clean and organize a home is a lot harder than it seems. If it wasn't, then why would parents hire people (as in, give them a job) to watch their children? Plain and simple, it is a job--unpaid and vacationless--and one that is crucial to the success of society. (That is, the moral success of society. So few people have morals presently that I felt it necessary to clarify). So then why did I leave after 8 hours of work today feeling so unfulfilled?

Was it because I didn't get to see my daughter learning like I typically do? Was it because I missed her pulling herself up into a stand multiple times (something she has tried to do many times but hasn't fully succeeded at until today)? Maybe it was because I missed teaching her new things and giving her new foods to try? Or was it even because I just missed holding her close and comforting her and smelling her soft hair?

Probably all of the above.

I am grateful I was able to work today and make a little extra money, but mostly, I was grateful because it helped me realize that I already have my dream job. And I will not let it be taken for granted.

Why are you grateful for your job (whether it be mommy, daddy, or another job)?

Much love,

Just Busy Being a Mom

My life today has been trying to be productive, which is why this post is really short. I actually like Mondays right now (mostly since I've become a stay-at-home mom). It is certainly a challenge getting things done with a baby, but it isn't impossible (glass half full...sorta). Look at the tremendous amount of dishes I tackled today from the past three days (sad, I know)! 

Before: 

And after: 

If you're looking at the time on my microwave, it took like half an hour tops, I just forgot to take a pic right away.

Anyway, here is a nice quote on some cute paper that my sweet cousin Whitney made for me before Tenley was born. I love this and seeing it again today helped me to remember that I need to have my priorities right. Read it and tell me what you think (or what you would add!) Also, note to self, I need to move this to a more noticeable location.

                     

What would you add to this? 

(I take your suggestions very seriously, so please take a moment and consider!)

What have you accomplished today? I hope it's been more than I have!

Tenley's 4 Month Updates

Thanks for the encouragement I received yesterday! No, I didn't complete everything for that class in the last 24 hours, but I did manage to complete two full lessons which was a small miracle. I'm hoping to finish the last three lessons tomorrow and perhaps begin my essay on Sunday. Monday I intend to call BYU and ask about taking the final on the 3rd when Dalin and I get back from Christmas break! So that's progress, right??

Anyhow, I just love Tenley. How I got such a happy, chill, pretty baby is beyond me. I'm pretty sure she takes after her daddy, especially in personality. She's so calm and I just am SO grateful for her joyful spirit! Updates on her life:

• She is four months old as of the 12th! (I've lost track of how many weeks) Man, time has flown by. Whenever I look at her, I am still just amazed that: A) she came out of me, B) she's mine, and C) that she is getting rapidly closer to being half a year old! What the heck! Wasn't she just a newborn a week ago??
• She is just so perfectly happy almost all the time. She has her moments, but what girls don't? 
• We got Tenley's 4 month immunizations done today and she literally fussed for maybe five seconds. The two nurses were like, "Woah, she did really well!" I, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck until they were over. Mothers. Now she has three little bandaids on her thighs which I am not looking forward to removing. Although come to think of it, she didn't even notice when I peeled them off last time. And she was asleep. 
• She can get off her bouncer if I don't strap her in and if I let her cry for a few minutes. She just twists her tiny body until she's almost all the way on the floor. She's done it like three times, so I've finally decided I'd better strap her in from now on. 
• We went to a luncheon for a boy from Dalin's work today and sat with a few of his co-workers. While there, I nursed Tenley at the table under my cover and a co-worker's wife said, "Are you nursing her with no hands right now?" I looked down to see what she meant. I had a butter knife in one hand and a roll in the other. "I guess I am," I said. She was really impressed, which was funny but I just told her that I am always trying to get things done while feeding her and that that was pretty normal. She thought that was cool. I never really thought about it, but Tenley is a trooper. I was just balancing her on my crossed legs. Yet she never acted like she was uncomfortable. 
• She's back to going to bed easily. Last week we had a rough patch, but I'm pretty sure it was because I let her try mashed banana when she turned four months old. Since then, I've only given her graham cracker crumbs on two separate occasions, and a tiny, tiny bit of white rice from my dinner last night. She has been handling solids really well. If they weren't so messy (and didn't make changing diapers even less fun) then I'd probably give them to her more regularly. But probably for the next couple of months I'll just continue to give her samples. 
• She thinks I'm hilarious. I love that. It makes me feel so good. Especially when it's only the two of us, she just laughs and smiles at everything I say to her. She loves my silly faces and it is the best thing in the world when I look at her and see that she's been smiling at me even without my noticing. Gahh! Motherhood is so awesome!!!!!
• She adores her dad. When she's mad at her mama, daddy can always calm her down. The two of them just love napping and rocking together. And it cracks me up every time I look over at the two of them rocking and Tenley is just staring at Dalin's laptop screen with one eyebrow raised as if she's processing what she's seeing. They have such a sweet relationship. I'm so glad she knows and loves her dad!
• She loves showering. I haven't given her a bath since she was probably one month old because I've found showering to be so much easier. We both appreciate the skin to skin contact and Tenley always has a big smile on her face when I lift her above my head into the stream of water. I've been teaching her that counting to three means we're putting our faces in the water. I say, "Okay Tenley, one, two, THREE!" and duck her under. She has never had a problem with it! I'm hoping that helps when we start swim lessons.
• She definitely loves reading. I can tell because she'll be fussing and I'll get a book and she'll look right at it and listen while I read. She looks at the things I point out on the pages, especially in our Spanish First Words book. I am still not speaking as regularly as I'd like, but I definitely throw Spanglish sentences together on a regular basis so at least she'll have some exposure. 
• I sign the alphabet to her (ASL) every time we say it--English or Spanish. She watches my hands so I'm hoping it's making an impact. I also sign "more," "hungry," and "I love you" (especially the latter) to her all the time. I'm almost certain she understands the sign for "I love you" because I've started to sign it without saying it occasionally and she gives me the biggest smile when she sees it. I also put her tiny fingers in the position for it so she can get a feel for it and once I saw her little hand signing "I love you" as she waved! I'm sure it was a fluke, but I freaked out because it was just so awesome, even if it was only a mistake. Soon enough she'll be able to do it for real. 

That's all I can think of for now. But she's doing really well and I just love her so much. I'm filled with joy when I look at her. Having her around me all the time is like having a snuggly little best friend I can hold and kiss and cuddle and talk to always. She makes us so crazy happy! If I had known how great she would be, I would have wanted to have her sooner!

Here are some photos of her for your enjoyment: 

One of those rare bad days, I mentioned

And happy again.

We love our sweet fourth-month old girl and are so glad she's ours forever! 

Bragging: My Super Successful Week

I need to brag for a minute. Very rarely do I say this (in fact, I'm not sure I've ever actually said it...), but I am proud of myself this week. I got so much accomplished and it feels really good:

My mom and I cleaned the apartment, 

I had a much-needed teeth cleaning at the dentist (I promise I brush and floss!), 

We had our car serviced, washed, and cleaned (tire rotation, oil change, vacuumed, etc.), 

I got a doctor's appointment out of the way, 

I completed our Medicaid application, 

Tenley and I went to our first WIC appointment,
Drove through Nebo Loop and took family pictures,

I wrote an essay for English, 

I went to the temple with Dalin (which made me SO happy!),

& I spent time with my mom, husband, daughter, and brother and sister-in-law! 

I would say it's been a successful week! I'm pretty glad that it's over though...a lot of stressful things (and some fun) all combined into six days. Still, I think next year I will do the same and plan one get-everything-done week. None of it would have been possible without my mom being here though. I'm so grateful she was able to watch Tenley and motivate me to accomplish all that I was able to. I guess she'll just have to do the same next year, too! ;)

Have you ever taken a week and gotten a bunch of stressful things out of the way?
If not, you should try it!

The Perfect Gap

Dalin and I have been thinking. Well, let's be honest--I've been thinking. Thinking about our family. Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I have very different priorities. Feeding the baby comes before everything--seriously, everything. Even before eating myself. I'm so busy taking care of Tenley half the time that I forget to eat. One night, it was almost midnight and I was in bed when all of a sudden I realized I hadn't had breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Just lots to drink (which I realize is something I constantly want since I'm nursing) and a few snacks. I hadn't even felt hungry, I was so distracted. Anyway, my priorities have changed which is what one would naturally expect when having a baby, but I didn't realize how much of my day would be filled with taking care of that baby. Only during her many brief naps do I get the chance to try and get schoolwork done, wash dishes, pick up the apartment, or gather laundry together. I'm lucky if I can sneak in a shower somewhere in my day. And more often than not, the only things that I get accomplished some days are feeding and changing Tenley.

As a stay-at-home mom, I consider this my job. It truly is a job, much more than I thought it would be. Not that it's really particularly hard, but it certainly is time-consuming. Instead of working 40 hours a week, I now work 24 hours a day. I work the night shift and the day shift, and am basically on-call 100% of the time. In addition, I am the maid, maintenance, interior decorator, planner, chef, and driver. With all these jobs, the payments I receive are joy, satisfaction, and eternal rewards, which is more than enough for me; however I do think some financial reimbursement would be nice especially considering that I am now one of the (rare) few women that stay home with their children and ensure that they are being cared for adequately and being taught to have faith, morals, and values, but unfortunately the world isn't really at a place where it rewards people for those things. Apparently they aren't that important to mankind anymore. I didn't mean to sound bitter in this post (though I was mostly just being sarcastic) so let me get back on track.

If you know me at all, you know I have always wanted a big family. Twelve used to be the magic number because I wanted to have a "Cheaper by the Dozen" family (the book version mostly--though the movie version is still fun). I thought that having that many siblings would be a blast and family reunions would be even more fun. I still think a family of twelve would be awesome, but over the years I eventually settled on seven children. Seven would be the perfect number. Yeah, for the world today, seven is still a lot. But I want my own version of the Weasley family (Harry Potter reference) and I always thought six boys and one girl would be a blast. At this rate, I am doubting whether I will get my six boys I originally wanted, but I love having a daughter so much now that I'm fine with that. The big question is, when should we have our next child? I'm truthfully on board for sooner rather than later. That's why I discussed my being a stay-at-home mom above. That is now my job and I'm going to do my best to succeed at it. So why wait? If that's what I am doing, then I may as well have my other children here, too. Maybe that reasoning is weird, but I have had so much joy with Tenley already that I cannot even wait to meet my other children. Anyhow, I'm not talking about having a baby nine months from now, but I am wondering what the "ideal" age gap is between children. I loved being a year apart from Payson (not that I want something that close) but what do you think? One year? One and a half? Two? Four? We probably will be praying for this answer on our own, but I am truly curious about what you think.

So help me out. What do *you* think the perfect age gap is between children?

Love watching her snuggle with her dad. She loves him so much already!

Getting Our House In Order

Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I finally have time to clean! Sure it's a challenge with a newborn baby who is constantly making more laundry, but Tenley does mommy a favor and takes at least one long nap each day allowing me a chance to do a fast one or two-hour cleanup. 

Our apartment looks decent right now but I'll be the first to admit that these photos are a few weeks old. Still, I've somehow managed to keep all these areas looking the way they do in the photos at least. 

I started by cleaning out the junk. By that, I mean I went through our closets and boxes and gathered together anything that we have never used or no longer use and stuck it in a box for Deseret Industries. It was hard at first--I will admit that--but once I got started, I was on a roll and it got easier and easier to throw out the junk. Especially when I reminded myself of the consequences of becoming a hoarder (not that we are even remotely close, but still, you don't want to start down that path...) which I have seen firsthand. 

I organized our papers and records and stowed them away. 

I targeted our closet next because it was such a huge job and I wanted to get it over with. I found a new, more space-efficient way to fold clothes and organized all of them. And I really mean "all."

Our closet looks a zillion times better

My long-sleeved shirts (yes I have a full drawer...)

My jeans, pants, and skirts (this is kind of a temporary arrangement)

My t-shirts and tank tops 

Dalin's shirts--all filed away and easy to access

His pants, shorts, and sweaters

Our nursery...for now. It isn't that cute yet, but it's clean at least  

Tenley's books and things (she has way more now though) 

Her pack 'n play with the bassinet attachment and a picture of Jesus nearby

Her cure window sill--P.S. pay attention to the bird theme 

The shelves and desk in her room. Not perfect, but it's an organized clutter

I still need to reorganize the kitchen, pantry, and bathroom, but I feel like we are in good shape for now! I am looking forward to getting all areas of the apartment in tip-top shape so I won't stress about the many messes that develop daily.

As much as I love being clean, I hope I am not subconsciously making an excuse to procrastinate my online classes. Right now, I dread doing anything for them. But I have four months to complete three of them, and while that should be very possible, I've already blown eight months. But having a clean home is important, too, and I feel as though if I can get that done, I'll better be able to focus on my stinky schoolwork. (BTW, I've never been a slacker, but BYU online classes are HARD!! They are much harder than BYU-Idaho's online classes because with Independent Study, you are seriously on your own--I've tried contacting two of my professors with no luck. For eight months. I would say that's a significant problem, but so far I haven't received any help.)

Anyway, once I get the apartment clean, thank-you notes written and mailed, and schoolwork accomplished, I'd like to do an even more thorough cleaning of our home...I want to start couponing and basically become the best homemaker I can be since that is now my full-time job. It is not in my nature to do a job crappily. Either I do it well, or I don't do it all.

I will post more photos of my organization progress once I have made some...

What are you doing to get your house in order? Do you have any advice for me on how I can do something differently or better?

How to Get Rich...

Would you like to know the secret to getting rich? I'll tell you my opinion. I may not be qualified to write this post, as I most certainly am not rich by the world's standard, but I have learned a thing or two about saving money--especially since I've been married. Here are some good tips and changes that are easy to make:

Don't spend more than you earn.
Duh. This seems so obvious, but it is a real challenge for many people who were raised with their parents taking care of everything for them. Keep track of how much you earn and delegate how much of that income will be put toward your basic needs, how much will go into savings, and how much will be left over. This is the most basic budgeting skill and is essential if you truly want to save money. 

Don't go into unnecessary debt. 
Sure school is expensive, but as long as you are saving to pay off school loans, you won't be in debt forever. Make that payment your priority. Save up and pay it off as quick as you can. We are trying to save up to pay Dalin's student loan off by graduation. Fortunately, we have been able to earn scholarships to help us save money. The same advice applies to homes and cars. You may have to settle for less before you can save up for something better. 

Budget. 
If you don't, it's going to be really hard to save money. Limit yourselves to going out once a week. Choose free date alternatives as often as you can. If you are the type who likes to splurge, try this simple solution--don't go out. If you don't want to spend money, don't go to the store. That has helped us save SO much money these last two years. If you love shopping and stopping completely is difficult for you, only carry a tiny bit of cash when you go. Leave your credit or debit cards at home. Pretend you're back in middle school or high school when $20 was all you had. 

Search for deals. 
Paying full price for anything is not very wise. Most things always go on sale at some time or another. Especially with clothing, shoes, and items for the home. If you want to be really thrifty, practice good shopping habits by making lists and searching for coupons or special deals on groceries and home products. Check Groupon and other money-saving sites. You would be surprised at the many ways you can find deals and discounts when you take a few minutes to look. I will admit, I always look for deals when it comes to clothing, but I have not yet gotten into the habit of seeking the best deals while grocery shopping. I attribute this to lack of time, but really it would be worth doing it to save even $15 a grocery trip. Something for me to work on. 

Avoid credit cards. 
I am far from an expert on credit cards, but I do know that everyone mistakenly seems to believe they must have one. Establishing credit is good when the time comes to buy a home or car, but it is not the only way. If you do have a credit card, make monthly payments on time and do not exceed your limit. Dalin and I prefer to use a debit card. We know where the money is coming from (straight from our checking account), and this prevents us from spending an unreasonable amount. Because we are leasing our car, we make monthly payments (ON TIME!) which helps us establish credit. If we need to, we can borrow our parents' credit to get a home when we find ourselves wanting to settle down. The point is, credit cards are okay if you know you can afford to make the payments. 

Save. 
Save, save, save. Put as much money as you can into the bank. Have a stash at home for emergencies. Put money in separate envelopes or jars to go toward specific trips, vacations, or other fun activities. Plan out what you are saving for and a rough estimate of how much you need. I usually find that rounding up when considering how much you think you will need is safer. 

Give. 
I love the quote by Anne Frank: "No one ever became poor by giving [too much]." How true! I also believe that giving to those in need blesses your life and, in turn, you will have more. I would rather be rich in blessings than money any day. 

Pay tithing. 
Heavenly Father gives us everything we have. We are only required to give 10% of it back to him. I would say that's fair. Especially considering the many blessings we receive as reward for our obedience to this simple commandment. It is one of the only commandments we can truly be perfect in.

All of these things combined will help you. Like I said, I am no expert--and I could stand to follow my own advice a little better--but I know that there is nothing better than being self-sufficient and feeling truly free from financial burdens. 

How do you save money? 
What are your best tips that I could use?

End of May Celebrations

Last night, we finally stopped being anti-social (not that this was ever our intention--we're just really busy) and had our friends Daniel and Rachel over for dinner. We had delicious cold chicken breast sandwiches with DELICIOUS corn on the cob (it's 4 for $1 at Macey's right now!) and lots of juicy watermelon. After we ate Rachel's warm chocolate chip cookies. Everything was so good. We had a lot of fun talking about our pregnancies (Rachel only has 3 weeks left, max!) and sharing notes with each other about our individual experiences. After, we cleared the kitchen table and played this card game that Dalin and I love called Bohnanza. We played it for the first time at Daniel and Rachel's one Sunday and thought it was fun and different. It's like some German card game and involves various types of beans and harvesting as many as possible. Anyway, it is a pretty awesome game. We played a few rounds of Bananagrams after (which I somehow owned at for once) and then said goodnight. It felt nice to have people over again.

Random picture of me at 29 weeks pregnant. As you can imagine, the baby is pretty heavy.

Now we are just beginning to get excited about this Memorial Day weekend! We both work tomorrow, but I have Memorial Day off at work, and then Tuesday evening we leave for Lava Hot Springs near Pocatello, Idaho to go camping with the boys from Dalin's work! I LOVE camping, for the record, and am especially pumped because my family always used to go camping on Memorial Day weekend to the Joseph Smith Memorial in Sharon, Vermont, but I haven't been in forever. So the plan is to camp at Lava Hot Springs on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then drive over to Boise from Thursday to Sunday to visit Dalin's family! It's going to be so much fun and probably one of the last time's (if not the last time) we get away before our little daughter is born!

Now we just need to find someone who will let us borrow their sleeping bags and hopefully a sleeping pad, or I'm going to be one sore pregnant lady.

What are you doing this Memorial Day Weekend? 
Do you have a family tradition that you do each year?

Saving the Best for Last

I'm having some major round ligament pains today. My back and side have been so sore. It kind of comes and goes but it is driving me crazy. Luckily my wonderful husband gave me a nice massage to help ease the pain. He keeps telling me to take Tylenol, which I know is supposed to be safe during pregnancy and I've taken it before in the first trimester, but I really don't want to take it if I don't have to.

What would you suggest for dealing with round ligament pain and a sore back? Is there really anything you can do? Should I just suck it up and take a Tylenol?

Little girl has been kicking so much today. She loved the grapefruit I had for lunch (sprinkled with sugar). We can definitely see her kicks now. Especially her hard ones. I woke up the other day and freaked out for a second when I looked at my bare stomach and saw a weird lump. Then it was gone. Apparently she was stretching out or something but it freaked me out when I first saw it. It's so fun getting to feel her move around. I imagined the feeling so differently. It seemed to me like it would hurt but it just feels kind of like someone is flicking or poking you from the inside.

From early March. Back when I wasn't having such bad soreness.

Dalin and I get more and more excited every day for her to arrive. I can't wait to be at home with her, taking care of her, and attempting to teach her Spanish (which is something that has always been really important to me even though I'm not fluent myself). Obviously everyone worries a little about how they'll be as a parent, but I am mostly worried about how I will handle her crying. On TV the other day, we heard a newborn crying and my stress level instantly went up by a lot. I could feel my body tense up. Crying makes me nervous. I know it usually just means the baby is hungry or tired or needs to be changed but I worry that she won't stop. I used to think babies didn't like me--I didn't know how to hold them in a way they liked and I didn't have the instincts to distract them when they were crying. Getting called into Primary with young children was scary at first, but they are very different than new babies.

Anyway, I'm just hoping my motherly instincts will kick in and that our baby will like me. I am trying not to let these thoughts stress me out, but I do think about it occasionally. I really love babies and little kids, I just need to learn how to manage them. Somehow, I have a feeling I'll figure it out.

What worries did you have about taking care of a new baby? Was it easier than you thought? How easy was it to make a connection after your baby was born?

In other news, I just have one indoor cycling class left! This is bittersweet because it kind of gives my Tuesday and Thursday mornings a good start and the exercise is supposed to be preparing me for an easier labor and recovery. So now I'll have to find an alternative workout to do during the week. Or...take another class. Also, Dalin bought me some great maternity pants on Amazon! They are XS and I love them. They are dark blue and they fit perfectly. They are awesome and I am so happy that Dalin got them for me! Also (again), we got an Easter package yesterday from Mom and Dad Gunnell. It was such a nice surprise for both of us! Besides lots and lots of awesome Easter candy, there was a really cool sweatshirt for Dalin, some precious outfits with frogs and turtles (my favorite) for baby girl, and three adorable maternity shirts for me! I've worn two of them already. They are the best and it made our day to get a nice package from them. 

More news: I can't wait until the weekend! I'm hosting a BBQ/pool party for King Henry residents on Saturday so we have that and then a ward potluck on Sunday to look forward to (I just found out about the potluck today but I was asked to bring chili so I have that to prepare for). 

And the best news of all...

Random picture from our fishing trip/picnic in March

Dalin got a new job!!!!! He applied for a job at a residential treatment center for teenage boys suffering from anxiety, depression, or recovering from addictions, and after a successful interview, he got asked to come back for a second interview--this time for a better position than the one he applied for! It's the perfect job for his psychology major--particularly because he is interested in studying neuro-psychology (which focuses primarily on those with depression and anxiety)--so it will provide him with great experience for a future career. It's full time so it's going to make finishing school just a little harder, but I know we can get through it. I will be praying for him a lot. I hope he loves this job. I am so grateful for him and for the sacrifice he is making to support our family. I will definitely be trying my best to do my part in building our family and making our home a place of peace.

Updates & Exercise is Good!

Have I been terrible at this recently or what?

Well, I've certainly been busy. I work full time--every weekday--and am starting classes. Unfortunately, I do not yet have all the materials I need and have not been able to start my classes yet. But the books should be here any day now (I ordered them from Amazon and saved a ton of money!). On top of that, I am exhausted. I seriously have next to no energy. You should see our apartment... (actually you shouldn't). Dalin has been at work and class from 9am-6:45pm each day. My poor sweetheart is tired from his long days, too. 

We hate being apart from each other for close to ten hours of the day. It doesn't leave much time for talking, playing, laughing, and snuggling which are our favorite things to do together. But we make sure we read our scriptures together each night and take turns saying a family prayer. I am so grateful that we both can work at this time and prepare and save for our future family. I know we will be so thankful for the things we are enduring now.

Sneak peak at our Christmas pics!

Today I went to my first indoor cycling class at 9am. I had to park stinking far because the parking lot by the indoor practice facility is full of psychos. The classroom is very narrow, plain, and loud due to the sound of several bike gears moving, the music blasting, and the fans set up at the front and back of the room. I could barely hear the instructor who acknowledged me when I entered. I had to yell that I wanted to add the class and then when he couldn't hear me, some girl repeated it louder.

I still am not technically in the class...yet. But since there were empty bikes, he told me to stay. I picked a bike in the back and figured out how to adjust it at various points during the class period. It was pretty fun--cycling while listening to the instructor's music and getting told to try different pedaling positions and stuff. My only complaint was that the bike seat was KILLING me. It was seriously SO uncomfortable on my butt! After, I felt like I had been sitting on a huge, rough rock with my bare butt for several hours. 

Later, I left work for thirty minutes to get a flu shot at the Student Health Center. I was so freaked out for it because in the past I have nearly fainted after getting it. I tried to be prepared by bringing some cold water to sip while I was waiting. When the nice, nice lady called me in, I told her I was nervous and she was so sympathetic. I rolled my sleeve up just past my elbow but she told me I needed to roll it all the way to the top of my shoulder. I wasn't sure why but I looked away as she talked to me and when she put it in my shoulder I was so incredibly relieved. Shoulder shots are nothing. I hate getting needles in the crook of my elbow though. I was so happy afterward and the sweet lady gave me crackers and an apple juice box before I left just in case I felt lightheaded. Needless to say, I was very happy it was over with, and was therefore in a great mood when I returned to work.

The end of the day always goes by so fast. I hurried home and picked up the house as much as I could before I had to go get Dalin. It was one of the first night's in a while I had the energy to clean up at all. I hate having a messy house but sometimes, other things in life take priority. It is definitely better than it was. We still have a few things strewn around that need to be put away, but for the most part, I am just satisfied that I got a few things done!

Maybe it's the exercise (it probably is) but I'm in a surprisingly good mood!  I think I will go to bed early tonight so I can get 9 or so hours of sleep. That is, after I give my cute husband a great big kiss ;)

Christmas Gifts

I need help.

Not mental help, though that might be true, too.

What I need is help with gift ideas. I am stumped.

Every year, I start Christmas lists and start gathering gifts in November. This year, I haven't even been able to think of a single item for anyone...well except Dalin, but only because he keeps asking for one thing (another 25lb weight...).

I generally like to give thoughtful gifts, or ones that are needed and will actually be enjoyed. I think my disadvantage this year (though I tend to look at it as more of a tremendous blessing) is that I do not work at Dillard's like I did last winter. It was easy to be thinking about Christmas gifts all day while working in the Men's Department which already looked like Christmas in early November. Plus I got so many deals with my employee discount there...that was undeniably a great benefit of working in a department store around the holidays. I would not, however, want to trade back from the job I have now as office assistant manager at King Henry.

Anyhow, I would really appreciate some advice.

Dalin and I had said we were going small (though Dalin says he has already bought me four things.....) but I want to find something special and useful for him.

And then there are our many family members to think of.

Sigh. Well we will figure it out.

If you can think of some fun gift ideas or know of a site where I can get ideas for home-made gifts, I would LOVE to hear them.

How is your Christmas shopping going??

Excuses, Excuses

Well, I haven't posted in over a week and I feel kind of bad about it. Mostly because I was doing so well up until the Thanksgiving break.

Let me just give you a brief synopsis of why I am lacking in my blogging:

Número Uno, I have SO many papers to write!
I have to write:

• A ten-page analysis of James Joyce's "The Dead"
• A five-page theoretical analysis of a work I have not even read yet
• A four-page essay on a specific section of the Doctrine and Covenants and its history (I chose section 49--revelation for the Shakers--if you're curious)
• An essay on "La Dama del Alba" for Español
  
• A delivery outline for a final presentation
• A preparation outline for that very same presentation

#2, I need to study!!!!
I need to study for:

• My Marriage and Family final exam
• My D&C final exam
• My Spanish oral exam
• My Spanish final written exam
• My English final on various literary theories (zzzz...)

#3, We are planning to get a new car!
In the next week are so, we are planning to buy or lease (whichever we end up being able to afford) a car with a warranty. We are considering:

• A Honda Accord
• A Honda CR-V
• A Honda Pilot
  
• A Toyota Camry
• A Toyota Rav-4
• A Hyundai Elantra

So many choices....

#4, Our apartment is an endless pigsty of doom.
I need ought to:

• Do laundry
• Put our tornado of clothes away
• Unpack from Thanksgiving break (or just leave it for Christmas, ha ha not)
• Pick up our living room which looks like an explosion of school papers, pillows, and jackets/sweatshirts
• Clear our kitchen table (which has basically been unusable for months because of the mess on it)
• Clean our bathroom (or beg Dalin to do it for me...)
• Get rid of the tons of extra crap that we have...seriously, why do we have so much stuff
• Simplify. This goes with the last point, but it needs re-emphasis.

Here are some lovely quotes on simplicity:

"Let us turn to the pure doctrinal waters of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us joyfully partake of them in their simplicity and plainness." ~Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

"Let us simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship—the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace." ~Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” ~Leonardo da Vinci

 

It looks like I will need to do some mighty praying to accomplish all of these things. 

I'm also recovering from the most obnoxious cough which began (unfortunately) the day that we left for Boise for Thanksgiving break. I promise I will blog about our wonderful holiday as soon as possible. For now, wish me luck! 

Day 15: Days like today

Today was great. It really was. 

I felt like this kid today

I got a 100 on my last Doctrine & Covenant's quiz (which is a miracle considering how little time I had to study last night).

Then I had a great time in my LDS Marriage & Family class where we talked about children and how to raise them (Note to self: Say no kids! They need to hear "no" more often. It means you love them!). 

After that, I headed home to pick Dalin up to bring him to work and to make lots and lots of stuffing for the King Henry Thanksgiving party today. It was incredibly easy. I chopped up some celery to add to it. I never was a huge fan of stuffing, but I decided I like it now...it was delicious! 

At work, we did not have much going on other than preparation for the Thanksgiving lunch, which started at one. We went around the table (there were like 18 of us) and shared what we were grateful for. I shared that I was grateful for eternal families because family is my number one priority. I also said that I was grateful I can be with my family for eternity and that even though my great grandmother passed away last week, I was comforted to know that I can see her again.

After eating (the food was magnificent--I wish I had pictures), we settled back in the office. The King Henry owner's wife was so sweet--she complimented my outfit and what I said at the table. That put me in a really good mood. I asked my wonderful manager about getting next Wednesday off so we could head to Boise early (she said I could!!!!!!!!!!) and in addition, I got informed that I was receiving a raise! YES. It was so exciting. I almost died waiting until after Spanish to tell Dalin but I had really wanted to tell him in person. 

Overall, it was a wonderful day. And I am grateful for those random days that mean so much! 

Day 14: Spontaneous Fun

I am grateful for making time to have fun. 

Confession: In all honesty, I was not sure that I wanted to go to the King Henry activity last night, but it ended up being a blast.

We went to Hang Time in Orem with several residents from King Henry and it ended up being a blast. We jumped on the trampolines and played PIG on the basketball court and tried to dunk (fail--it's really hard for me to dunk even with the advantage of a trampoline). I got really tired and sweaty--it was great. Embarrassingly enough, that was probably the most exercise I've gotten in like three months. 

But we had a great time and I would definitely go back. Hint, if you get the chance to go to Hang Time in Orem, I would take it! 

Therefore I am grateful for spontaneous nights for fun. Sometimes, you just need it.

As you can see, this place is big and cool. 

I hope we can go back sometime soon!!!!

Busy, busy, as a bee

How am I supposed to do everything?

This week--and really this month--is just ridiculous.  I don't really care for November other than Thanksgiving and the increased Christmas music in our home.  When I think of November, I mostly think of the increased cold, the color ice blue, and wind.  Not altogether pleasant thoughts.  If it wasn't for Thanksgiving, this month would be hopeless.

As you may or may not know, I work for King Henry Apartments.  I am the office assistant manager and I mostly handle the cash, checks, and planning big monthly activities for the complex.  While planning and attending the activities can be fun, the setting up and preparation can be a challenge and a hassle.  Especially mixed with attending school full-time...

But somehow I manage (thank you, Michael Scott) and it always works itself out somehow.

Tomorrow King Henry and UVU are hosting a Halloween activity!  We have 648 residents here at King Henry (give or take since we have a few spots still open) but we are assuming (and well, hoping) that only about 200 come to carve and paint pumpkins, decorate cookies, and make caramel apples.  It is going to be sweet though (literally, ha ha), and I am excited to participate myself.

Then, the very next day on Halloween, we are hosting a Roller Skating Costume Party at the Classic Skating and Fun Center.  There will be many more people at this activity--there always are.  It will be fun to see everyone in their costumes and showing off their skating skills, but let me just announce now that I will definitely be sitting this one out.  For lots of reasons, but mostly because roller skating is dangerous...maybe not to everyone, but for me, with my terrible lack of balance, it is definitely not happening.  Also, dressing up is questionable, too as I've already dressed up twice this year.

For Trunk or Treat on Saturday, we wore Harry Potter costumes (always a favorite ;). I was a Ravenclaw student, and Dalin was Dumbledore. He wore a wig, a beard, his real glasses and his real bathrobe.  It was hilarious and so awesome.  I made our wands using an idea I got on Pinterest.  Success! Other than the fact that I seared my wrist with a hot-glue gun.  I am definitely going to have a scar. (Hey! Like Harry Potter!)

After the business of Halloween, rent will be due at King Henry which means tons of money and tons of annoying late payments.  Hopefully it will go smoothly...(it never does).

Let's just say, I am anxious for Thanksgiving, the end of this semester, my mom coming to visit, and Christmas.  Can't we just skip all this stuff in between?

Hope everyone is having a great week and that everyone (especially my family in friends in New Hampshire and the east) is safe and protected!  I've been saying lots of prayers for all of you!

<3

success!

so here i am, applying for a billion jobs when i finally get a few more interviews.
tuesday, after helping Payson to move into his new apartment by UVU, i received a couple of calls within a few hours...first from Michael's craft store............i got the job!!!!!!!!! i am a part-time floor associate and meet on monday at noon!!!!!! so after celebrating and calling my parents to brag, i also heard from Dillard's! my interview had gone well and the assistant manager wanted me to "do some paperwork" around 1pm on thursday!!!!! so i guess the only question is...does "do some paperwork" mean "you have a job"? my hopes and belief is yes. but i guess we will see today! so then i pick up Dalin from his preview to dentistry class and get informed that i have an interview with Bishop Schroeder in a short while! i hurriedly changed into church clothes once i got back to the apartment then Dalin and i walked to the chapel and what do you know, i got a calling :) technically i can't say it yet, but after sunday i'll mention it.

what a day.
two jobs and a church calling.
now my worry is...how am i going to balance it all?? ;)