New Pics and an Update

Well, life is going well here in Missouri. Isaac seems to be settling into his job, and the two of us into our house. Ginger is getting there with the potty training, but sometimes I doubt she'll ever get there.

In my family, my sister Elise is getting married! She got engaged on Sunday. She and Steve seem very happy, and we get to see them in a week or so! The best part is that we have had a wedding in my family every year since Isaac and I got married in 2005. Way to go! Hopefully, since Olivia, we'll have a baby every year from now on too....wink wink! Here's Olivia BTW.

In Isaac's family, we get to go back to Utah for Ange and Nate's wedding in just a week! We are really excited to see everyone and tell everyone about our adventures. We are driving out there, with Ginger, and who knows, I might be dead by the time we get there. I have heard that travelling with a puppy is hard, but I guess I will find out!

I countinue to look for employment here, and it is discouraging. I know something will work out, like it always does, but it's hard sometimes. I have even resorted to applying to Head Start. I'll post as soon as I hear something.

Isaac is working in Scouts, and I am in Primary, Enrichment Commitee and a VT Supervisor here in our ward. I like being involved so much. It has really helped me aclimatize here. It's been great!

Well, we love and miss you all!

Well, today was garage sale day! We went on a drive to go to a friends house and ended up going to about ten garage sales on the way. We got some cool stuff.

Heavy duty Craftsman drill=$2

Shovel=$2

Grill racks=$1

Window Opaquers=$3

French for Idiots=$0.25

Fishing tackle box=$1

You know, the really important stuff! Anyways, some exciting things have happened the past little while. Isaac (the one writing) has always loved the candy bar Big Hunk, so he got a recipe online that required egg whites, Corn Syrup, and other goodies and we made it together. He only ended up with one bad burn from trying to eat the candy prematurely. Overall, however, it was a success. Mmmmm! Nougat!

Lexie left for Virginia to see her sister, Annie have a baby (Olivia Anne Chaimberland). She was gone just over a week. Isaac and Ginger had a big fight the whole time she was gone! Both will probably be scarred for life! Isaac started some major remodeling of the basement. It's coming along, but the basement is basically inhabitable for a while.

Virginia of course was wonderful. I wish I had pictures to post right now, but I don't. It just takes us a little while these days. In other news, I am giving my first sharing time in primary tomorrow. I am a little nervous, but I have so far enjoyed my calling. I feel that there should be more to write, but I honestly can't think of anything right now, but I will try to post again in a few days.

Lexie and the Piano

So for those of you who know Isaac, you know that he loves music, and has a fetish with purchasing cheap pianos. Well, last night we found one for $30.00. The price was great, but the problem remained of getting it out of the truck when we got home. If you remember, we live 1000 miles from our families, and there is just Isaac and me at home. Not to mention the fact that it is 10 pm last night by the time we get home with the insturment. So, Isaac gets the brilliant idea of suspending our piano from an I-beam on the ceiling of our garage and pulling it out of the bed of our truck, since there is no one there to lift it.

Does this seem a little assanine to anyone but me? I told him in no uncertain terms that I didn't have the muscles of one of his brothers, nor the desire to have a hernea. So, Isaac somehow rigged his contraption with just rope and the I-beam. Then he made a noose at one end of the rope, and told me to lean back, like I was the anchor in a tug-o-war. I did. Soon enough, Isaac had backed out the truck and I was standing there, bracing myself, holding up a piano suspended from the ceiling. ALL BY MYSELF! Now, I could be honest and tell you all that it was a magnificent work of engineering on the part of my husband. Personally I want to say "HECK YEAH, I CARRIED A PIANO BY MYSELF!" Whew, that feels better.

Sometimes I wonder how we manage without all of you around to help us with our little projects, especially Isaac's sometimes too ambitious ones. But, we always seem to get along somehow. Just remember we miss you all. Especially me when I want to slay my husband and his harebrained ideas!

Ginger

So, at long last, Isaac and I have a puppy! She is a purebred min pin (minature pinscher) and we love her! After much debate and many suggestions, we decided to call her Ginger.

I wish I had pics at this moment, but I don't, but we will post some soon. She is 10 weeks old, and is a little fireball. I guess I didn't realize just how much work puppies are. She has to go out I swear 15 times a day, and still manages to pee on the carpet! I hate it! But, she is a constant companion for me, and we have a great time on our stop and go walks.

In other news, things are still going well in our house. We are starting to get settled and are trying to find bedroom furniture.

Isaac had a great birthday, Jenny and Brandon came out! Thanks guys! We had tons of fun! They got to meet the puppy, see some sights and eat barbeque. We hope everyone can come out too! I think they had a good time....

Well, we hope everyone is doing well, and thanks for all the support with the house.

Latest News

Well, our big news this week is that we are closing on our house tomorrow morning! And, my parents are on their way here right now to bring us a table and help us move in! Yay!

I have to admit that it hasn't been the greatest week for me. I don't know if it's just the time in the hotel, the job hunt, etc., but it sucks. The great thing is that the excitement finally hit today. I just got thinking..we will be homeowners! We will have a house! Not just an apartment that we can't do anything in, but a real house.

Can I just tell you that this has been a long time in coming? We'll have been married 4 years in August. I lived in an apartment for 5 years before that! Essentially, I've lived in apartments for 1/3 of my life! That sucks if you don't live in Prague or NYC! So, I am excited. In my excitement, I decided I would try and post a pic of the house. So, I realize that you cannot fully appreciate the home from this picture. For those of you who are not satisfied, you'll just have to come and see it in person.But, I am open to decorating tips! I have never done this before, so if you have any suggestions, let me know!

My Soapbox

So, for all of those of you who have been living under a rock, Jon and Kate Gosselin have split. I found it ironic that another set of parents of 8 children are splitting. I can't say that their children will have an easy or fun road ahead of them. The thing is that this event has saddened me in a way that no other celebrity break-up has. Isaac and I discussed the situation and have to ask, what went wrong?

Naturally, we cannot see into the lives of others, not can we speculate about other people's feelings and motivations. We came to the conclusion, however, that selfishness tends to be at the heart of marital problems. In this situation, what role does the media play? And above all, what about the children? I can't help but be bothered by the father's remarks about being a dad of 8 at 32. Granted, I can't imagine my 32 year-old brother handling 8 children under 8, but I know that he would not walk away from his duties. It disgusts me. But, it did make me grateful for the men in my life who have stuck it out, who have taken their role as father seriously.

So, in the end, I guess this is a shout-out to all the dads out there who don't give up, who face the challenges (an their wives craziness) and don't take the easy way out. Isaac and I aren't parents yet, but we have learned a whole lot from all of you. So, Dan, Dad, Keith, Opa, Jer, Jake, Tyler, Brandon....our hats are off to you. And, we love you!

Graduate School

So, I realize that I am starting a trend here by actually blogging two days in a row, but I found yesterday that it really does help me to feel connected to all of you!  And, since many of you are wiser and more educated than I, I ask your wisdom.

I have been attempting to find a job here in KC, and have so far drawn a blank.  I went to LDS Employment today and the missionaries there recommeded that I consider graduate school.  I have always wanted to go, but somehow just wasn't possible while Isaac was still going!  Now, I think that I just might be ready to take the plunge.  There is just one problem....I am scared to death of the GRE!  Have any of you taken it before?  Could you give a girl some advice?  This is kind of the perfect opportunity for me to go (especially with ATK's awesome reimbursment policy).  But, I'm more than a little intimidated.  Can I really do the stats classes that are required of me?  And what about writing a thesis?  Am I really ready to take on another 2 years of school?  

So, while all of these questions are buzzing around in my head, I hope that some of you will  have a little advice for me....or tell me that I am nuts, and therefore could never offer anyone else with the therapy that would be required if I did this.

It's about time to update!

This is a picture of storm clouds in downtown Kansas City.  This building is some sort of memorial.  We saw it on Saturday.

Greetings from Missouri!

I thought  I would finally sit down and blog a little about our adventures.  Most of them revolving around the weather and our future house.

For those of you who don't know, Isaac and I have found a house!  We put in an offer about 2 weeks ago, and hope to close here in the next 10 days or so.  It has 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, and a two car garage.  We are excited and sincerely hope that nothing happens to spoil our deal before closing time!

In the meantime, we have been living in hotels.  I can't say that it is our most favorite thing, but it is better than living in a box or a U-haul.  Last night we had the most tremendous thunderstorm!  Hurricane strength winds, tons of rain and lots of thunder and lightning.  Isaac was both fascinated and terrified.  I think it will take a while for him to get used to the climate here.  He also seems to have a fascination with fireflies that I can't understand...

Speaking of Isaac, he seems to be enjoying his work, when they know what it is they want him to do.  I think most of the time he just makes it up as he goes along, and it's frustrating for him.  He is excited about the hunting and fishing that goes on at intervals throughout the year on the plant, however.  Lexie is still looking for a job, which is frustrating.  Hotels get really boring really fast, but I have been watching lots of HGTV in hopes that I will at least have an idea of how I want to decorate our house.

We love our ward here!  Everyone has been friendly and nice.  Isaac has to speak in church on Sunday (Father's Day), and was wondering if he somehow got Jenny's curse.  We'll see.  I just think it's great that I don't have to talk yet.   Not until next month.  

Well, we are having a good time here in KC, all things considered.  We miss our families, and hope that you all will come visit soon, or that we will be able to visit soon!  Thanks for the phone calls and emails!  We love you all!