The Cute Short Couple

Happy Birthday Grandpa Bell!

2011-12-30T08:18:00.000-08:00

So, yesterday was my Grandpa Bell's 88th Birthday! I'm so glad that he has been in my life for so many years. We came up to Burley, ID yesterday with my mom and my little brother. I forget how much fun I can have in the same car as the rest of my family. We haven't been on a road trip like that in a long time! Mostly mom and I got to visit a lot, which was really nice.
I need to preface with something before I continue. We found out a couple of months back that Grandpa has been showing signs of Alzheimers. When we saw him at Thanksgiving,it was much worse than I had thought. He kept asking who owned my parents house, even though he has been there SO MANY TIMES, as my parents have never moved. About a week ago my sweet Grandpa had a seizure, and was hospitalized. He was really disoriented for the first few days.
We arrived yesterday, and it was not what I was expecting. Grandpa was doing really well last night. He knew where he was, he knew who we were, it was great! It felt like the "Old Grandpa" was coming back. This morning I woke up at abou 6, just due to the fact that I was aslep so early last night. A few minutes after I woke up, I heard a commotion upstairs. Grandpa thought he was at the neighbors house, and he was trying to walk home in his underwear. Luckily he was caught before he actually made it outside. This morning has been a huge struggle for him, and for me as well. I love him so much, that I just want him to be better. When my Grandpa Ellison died, and I saw his failing health, that was easir for me than seeing this.
I was such an emotional wreck. I'm glad no one could see me break down. I need to be strong for my mom. I know this is harder on her than she will ever say out loud. Same for Grandma for that matter. I am here to help, not hinder. I needed to get my feelings out. I'm really sorry if this hurts anyone, I really don't want it too. I just needed to get it out. I will be good now! :)
Happy Birthday Grandpa. I love you more than I know how to express!

Family Update!

2011-09-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

So, Caleb lost his job about a month ago. He has been out searching pretty hard for the last 4 weeks. Today, he got a new job! He now works for a new trucking company, that is more established than his last one, and they loved what experience he had. Once that application was in, they had him do his drive test the same day, and he started work tonight. He only put in the application Tuesday afternoon, so this is fabulous considering the economy we are in. This is the first time in Caleb's job history where he felt that he had enough experience to be a huge benefit to the company. Caleb has been trained on equipment that a lot of other people haven't, and they aren't even willing to learn it. He's also willing to go and get some more endorsements so that he can work even more for them! I am so proud of him! He is really doing everything he can to try to provide for us. We know that these guys work a lot, so this is a good thing!
I am still working like a maniac, but I want us to dig out of our hole, and be able to pay things off while I am working as much and making as much as I am now. Once we get things paid off, then my hours will slow down. Until then, I will work a lot, and escape life in books!
I am always looking for book suggestions if any of you have them! I'm easily reading 2-3 books a week right now depending on length, so yeah. I'm reading a lot. Now that Caleb is going to be working nights again, it's better for me to read then veg in front of the TV personally, so I would love to know what others of you are reading. I just finished Graceling, and I loved it! Maybe I should start a book blog...nah, I've got enough on my plate! :)

Dangit!

2011-08-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

So, Caleb lost his job a week ago. We have been trying to find him something else, so if anyone hears of anything in Utah County, let us know please! We really could use all the help we can get. I'm already working 60+ hours a week, so I can't really add anything else on to help more, or I will be the zombie of the century! Caleb is willing to take anything he is qualified for. He's not comfortable with anything super technology oriented.... but he's willing to work about anywhere at this point.
Thanks everyone! If you don't hear of anything, just keep us in your prayers!

Happy Birthday Shala!

2011-08-03T06:08:00.000-07:00

So, I had my birthday, and I survived! ;) It all started Sunday, when my parents made my favorite dinner, (Chicken Cordon Bleu, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, squash and zucchini) and they also bought HUGE cupcakes from Flour Girls and Dough Boys located in town. They were really tasty! Then we got to webcam with the "Brazilian Ellisons" for a while. William was in a mood, but it was great to visit with Ty and Kimie for a while. Plus my little Rico was sweet as ever, and went to bed early, because his school started the next day.
Monday really was a good day! I woke up in the morning, and my hubby had a sewing machine sitting out in the living room for me! It's a little cheapy machine, but it does what I need it to do! Then we went and grabbed a quick breakfast, then went down to my in laws to borrow her car. We then had lunch with Nate , Carrie, and little Ele Gross, and it was so fun to see them! It's been way too long!
After that we, took my mother-in-laws car up to IKEA to purchase a bed! That's right, we got a bed! They had a great bed on sale, so we picked it up! We got back, and got it put together, but there were no slats for the bottom of the bed in our boxes. We called up IKEA, and found out we had forgotten a piece, so we drove all the way back up to IKEA to pick it up. While we were there, we went up to the cafe and picked up a cheap dinner, and then we took the car back to my in-laws. They suprise me with Cupcakes from Cupcake Chic, and it was great!
My hubby didn't have to work that night, so the best present for me was being able to sleep in our new bed together! We don't get that much, so it was nice!
Thanks for all of the birthday wishes on my facebook! I had over 100 people stop by and wish me a happy day! I feel so loved!

Tubby Time!

2011-07-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

So, between working and moving this week, I felt spent. I wanted to find a way to relax that wasn't just vegging out in front of the TV. I was going to bake some lemon bars, but after talking with a friend, (Thanks Chelsea!) I decided it would probably be better not to, especially since I am home alone tonight. So, I decided I would take a bath, and read my new book, that was really short!
It's Dieter F. Uchtdorf's new book called, "Your Happily Ever After" The title caught my eye as I was birthday shopping a little early. (Thanks Don and Kathie for the gift card!) So I bought it, along with a new great picture for our new place!
Anyway! I was in the tub reading this book, and it made me a little emotional! It reminded me that for anyone to get to their own "Happily Ever After" they are going to go through tough times. It's the only way to make things sweeter when you get to your ending! I really needed to hear that tonight! I'm really glad that I got to do that tonight! Now it's back to laundry and organizing!

Break Down

2011-07-26T06:15:00.000-07:00

So, this last weekend, I had a break down. I think this is mostly related to stress, but something hit me hard this weekend. I am turning 26 on Monday. Looking back, I thought I would be in a different place. I thought I would have at least 1 child, maybe be pregnant with my 2nd by now, kind of like my mom was. I thought we would own a home, and that I would work because I want to, not because our survival depends on me working.
I got home Saturday around 4pm from work and running up to IKEA to pick up a dresser for the new apartment. When we got home, I just crawled in bed, and started to cry. My husband and I argued for a minute, because I didn't want to tell him why I was upset. I told him I didn't feel good, and of course, he didn't believe me. Once I told him what was going on, he encouraged me to try to sleep. I took a short nap, and woke up crying because I saw my dreams of the past in my dream.
We were supposed to go to the rodeo Saturday with my in-laws, but I couldn't make myself get out of bed. It was not something that I enjoyed in the slightest. It was a real struggle for me. I don't like to become vulnerable. But, being the lucky girl I am, my in-laws understood why I couldn't go, and I have an amazing husband who stayed home with me, and held me until I stopped crying. He let me cry it out, and just held me. He didn't try to fix it, because he knew he couldn't fix the past.
So, as of Monday, I will look forward to new dreams that do consist of a family, and a house still, but I won't set a time frame on it anymore. :) Here's to a great rest of my 20's!

Moving, again...

2011-07-13T05:41:00.000-07:00

So, we are moving again, and it's only about a block away from where we are now. Our current landlord now has 2 young children, and they need the space that is currently our apartment, so that they can renovate it into a home office for him. We will still be in our same ward, so we will get to see them.
For anyone who wants to help, we think we are going to move most of our big stuff on the 30th around noon. Anyone who wants to help is welcome to! We will slowly be moving other things over after we sign our contract on the 22nd. We have to get internet and everything set up over there too.

Update!

2011-07-11T04:46:00.000-07:00

I will do a picture update later!
So, for Memorial Day weekend, (I know, it's been forever!) we were finally able to cash in Caleb's big birthday present, and we went to the Gabriel Iglesias show out in Wendover, NV. We stayed the night out there after the show, and then we went and drove around out to the Salt Aire. The view is gorgeous, but the Salt Aire itself was pretty gross, so we didn't stay there long. There was a little rock cliff up the road, so we went over there and took pictures. It was a fun, relaxing weekend. It was right after my surgery, so it was nice to get away and not really think about it.
After that, we were both back to work. Caleb is liking the grave shift for the work, not for the social life. It's not as stressful for him at night, so as long as he is happy, I am happy.
We have been asked to find a new apartment, so we are on the hunt for a place to rent. I think we are leaning towards renting a house, so that we can get our cats back with us, but we will see. We are going to look at a place in our ward today, and if we don't like that, we are going to rent a place most likely in Springville. There are quite a few homes for what we are paying in rent now there.
Over the 4th of July weekend, we had an opportunity to go and see Stadium of Fire with Brad Paisley and David Archuletta. It was a total blast! We went with my parents, and had a great time! David was good, but I felt bad for the kid, he was sweating bullets after the first song. He was performing while the sun was still up, so that accounts for a lot, plus their hot lights! Brad is an amazing performer, and Caleb and I want to go to a full length concert with him next time he is in town.
Other than those couple of things, life is normal for us. We spend as much time together as we can, and other than that, we just try to get by. My medical bills keep piling up, so we are just trying to pay them enough that they won't send us to collections until we get the financial aid parts taken care of. :)

Grave Shift

2011-06-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

So, it looks like for the remainder of the summer, Caleb will be working the Graveyard shift at his job. First of all, this is a true blessing in a lot of ways. Caleb will be getting paid almost double what he makes during the day, because he will always be working on the freeway, which is federal pay. Because of the medical bills we are going to have to pay, this is great!
The not so great thing is, the work isn't quite as consistent. Things can change at the drop of a hat. If they decide to shut down the job early for any reason, Caleb doesn't get as many hours.
I will be the first to admit, that this is going to take me some time to get used to him being gone at night again. This was the reason we got our first cat, and now that we can't have the cats with us all the time, it's going to be tough on me again. But knowing that I trust the people we are renting from is a great comfort, because I could have the neighbor check out something if I hear it. They are great that way. I don't think I will really need him too, but it's nice to know that I could if it was greatly needed.
This is a good thing! It will really help us if Caleb can get the work consistently. If not, then he may switch back to days. We shall see. I will adjust, so I'm not worried about me. :) I just pray that we are able to catch up on things!

Car Troubles

2011-06-03T06:00:00.001-07:00

So, I have had my car for almost 7 years now. It has many names... Kitty, The Plum, The Purple People Eater, etc... and it has been a great car. Well, it's starting to show it's age.
Yesterday, I was having some trouble getting the car to turn over. Everyone that I was talking to that works on cars themselves was telling me it was my fuel pump. So, I called LKC Auto in PG, and asked what they thought of my troubles. It sounded like something more electrical to them, so I took it up to them for a diagnostic. Well, $200 later, it was only a battery. If I would have had any inclination that it would only be that, I would have changed it out myself with the help of the Auto Zone guys! Grr!
While I was there, the mechanic told me that my water pump was about ready to go, and he was surprised that it wasn't leaking yet. Since we were broke, and his quote was $180 to fix it, I left and went on my way, hoping it would last a little while longer. Well, as I pulled into my in laws driveway, I closed the door, and the water pump sprang a leak. :( Luckily this time, I had no doubt on what it was, so Caleb picked up a water pump and some antifreeze for $25, and called his buddy Steve to help him change it out. We ended up replacing my broken headlight while we were at it.
So, about $250 and much anxiety from me later, I have a working car. I know that's just part of having a car with 150,000+ miles on it, but I have the feeling that I am going to have to start putting more and more money back into the car... Maybe it's time to either create a "car repair" account, or a "car replacement" account.... We will see!

Follow Up Appointment

2011-06-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday was my follow up with my surgeon. I was so nervous going in to the appointment, because I was scared that even though I feel amazing, that something would have gone wrong. I didn't want to go to my appointment alone, and Caleb was at work, so an hour before the appointment, I called my sweet mom, and she came with me. I had to wait in the lobby for a while, and it just allowed me to have an inner panic. I don't think my mom knew how nervous I really was.
So when the NP came in to check on me, I had layed down on their comfy pillow, so she was automatically nervous. I just told her that I wanted a nap, and she lightened up a little. So I sat up, and we talked. I am happy to say, that everything is fine, my silky steri strips are falling off, and I just feel amazing! I can't even tell you how much better I feel just in general! I never knew how sick I really was before my surgery!
Life only gets better from here! I just have to not stress when I see the bills coming! ;)

Mandatory Vacation

2011-05-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

So, I need to apologize in advance for how long this post is going to be, but I feel I need to share my adventures of this weekend.
Saturday night, we had stopped by a BBQ for some friends, and then we met up with some other friends at Jack and Jill's Bowling in American Fork. They have the best french fries in existance! So, Caleb and I ordered some and split it, because I hadn't been eating as much greasy food lately. Shortly after eating them, I started to feel some pain. It started out dull, but as the night went on and we started watching a movie, the pain woulldn't go away. Since we were in American Fork already, I stopped by my parents house to ask my dad for a blessing.
After the blessing, I kept having the feeling that I would need to go to the hospital. For those of you who don't know, we don't have medical insurance, so on the whole drive there, I kept thinking "How on earth are we going to pay for this?"
We were admitted to the ER quickly, and got into my room. I had a fabulous doctor, who had acutally admitted my dad to the hospital once. As Dr. Shelton started to poke my stomach to see if there was isolated pain anywhere, he poked up near my right rib, and I yelped out in pain I had never felt in my life. He sent me in for an ultra sound, ("Oh no! More Money!" was my first thought.) and was dizzily wheeled over for it. When they turned on the sound, I was almost hoping to hear a little extra heart beat with mine, but there wasn't one.
Once my results came in, Dr. Shelton informed me that I had gall bladder disease. I started crying I was so emotional. He also told me they would be admitting me to the hospital. (CRAP!! These bills are really going to be high.) I stayed at the hospital with my mom, while Caleb and my dad went to the Ellison house to sleep. I was calling people about it by 6am, and had been slowly letting everyone know via Facebook, that I would most likely be looking at surgery. The surgeon called me about 8am, talking to me about my options.
My gall bladder needed to come out either way, it was just a matter of when. I kept thinking and feeling like the sooner the better, because I don't want to have to pay for an extra day in the hospital. I went in for surgery around 9am, and was back in my room about 11am. I had some great friends stop by, and I was trying to get some more sleep, but this machine kept beeping at me, saying I wasn't breathing deep enough. I was being checked out of the hospital by 3pm, and as soon as I got to my parents bed, I was out until 6:30. It was just so nice to sleep. Caleb was able to run home and grab us some clothes so that we could stay at my parents house for that first night.
I really have felt better since they removed my gall bladder, and it's just my surgery scars that hurt now. I won't be back to work until Monday, so it's a mandatory vacation, because I need to heal. I am so grateful for my bosses and my employees who are picking up the slack while I am gone.
I also need to give the biggest shout out to my mom, who has been by my side through all of this, along with my husband. I am so blessed to have such a caring family, who is helping me heal and get better. My favorite thing about today was that I got to finally shower! It felt so good!
I will keep everyone posted on how I am feeling throughout this week since I will actually have time to blog!
So goodbye greasy food! I am on a fat free diet this week!

Work Work Work!

2011-04-14T05:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry we haven't been posting much lately! We are just working so much that there isn't much else going on for us.
We are house sitting on and off for the next 2 months for my in-laws, but other than that, life is normal! We still miss living with both of our kitties full time, but it's nice to get some more time with Jewel by house sitting!
Well, there is a quick update for you! When we have some news, we will let you know! :)

A Moment Today

2011-04-03T22:33:00.000-07:00

So, today was General Conference. I really enjoyed the talks that I heard today.

There is one talk in particular that struck me to my very core. Elder Richard G. Scott gave a beautiful talk about families. There was a point in his talk where he shared a very intimate moment from his life shortly before the lost one of their children. This particular part of his talk is what struck me. He talked about when they lost their child, and the precious moment he remembers about that child.

I came to realize that I have felt something for a long time. I have always felt like I would loose at least 1 child that I will give birth too. I can't tell you why, or how this will happen. I have felt this way for a lot of years, but had not shared it with anyone but Caleb until today. This is the reason why I know I haven't been blessed to become a mother yet in my life. I know that I need the blessings of the temple sealing, so that I can have my baby that I will loose with me in the millenium, and that I will have the opportunity to raise them at that point in my journey.

I have my moments where I am totally and completely devastated about it, but at other times, I can accept that this will be part of my reality. I look to some dear friends of mine who have lost their sweet children so young, and have begun already relying on their strength to know that I will begin relating to them more than anyone would hope, but I know that I have a wonderful support group around me to help me.

I'm sorry this post was such a downer. I really just needed to get it out there.

Happy Birthday Caleb!

2011-04-02T22:49:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoyed your birthday! I know we aren't done celebrating, but I hope you had a great day! Texas Roadhouse, a hockey game the next weekend, and then GABRIEL IGLESIAS at the end of May! You're the best Hubby a girl could ask for! Love you Sweetie!

Shae's New Glasses

2011-03-30T22:11:00.000-07:00

So, after 6 years, it was finally time for new glasses. Thanks to my mom, I was able to go get examined, and get these rocking frames! Thanks mom! You are the bomb!

This is the Lion head detail on the side! These glasses SO SCREAM ME!!!!!

I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!

Being "Childless"

2011-03-10T13:39:00.001-08:00

So, for those of you who haven't heard, our pregnant neighbor upstairs is allergic to our cats. She had never been around cats, so they didn't know. Sunday night they asked us to get rid of our cats.
I did nothing but cry Sunday night, and snuggle my furry babies. I was so devastated. These cats are my children, and I knew I couldn't truly give them up. So, I did the next best thing. I called both mine and Caleb's parents, and made arrangements for them to stay with their "grandparents" until we have an opportunity to move. That's helped me calm down a little bit.
Tuesday night when we had to drop them off, I did pretty good until we pulled away from each house. I just cried. I didn't know what else to do, buy I felt like I was leaving a big part of me behind at each house. But once we were home that night, Caleb and I both heard a little jingle, as if one of the cats was coming to greet us. That's when I truly lost it.
I called each place yesterday to check in on them. Jethro is doing pretty well. He is mostly exploring, but he has always been a good hider when he doesn't want to be bothered. I think my mom will enjoy having a kitty friend around again.
Jewel on the other hand was having a tougher time of it. The first night she was angry, and was hissing at everyone and everything. She even swatted at my mother in law. I was stuck at work, so I sent Caleb down to visit Jewel. She cane right out to him, and he helped Jewel remember my mother in law and let her know that my mother in law wasn't the bad guy.
Because of that, I decided to check in on both of them today. Jewel is doing much better and even playing with my mother in law, and Jethro is still just being himself and adjusting well.
Me on the other hand, I randomly break down, just like I am writing this post. I truly feel lie I have given up my children. Yes, it is only temporary, but it is still much longer than I ever wanted. There is no way I can bring them back to me until we move, because I can't afford the food that helps with the cat dander so people don't have reactions to them. So, for now, I feel like my children are gone, and I am very lonely, so I have to keep busy an distract myself to keep from thinking about it.
Sorry this post was so long, I just really needed to get it all out. And I know that cats aren't kids, but they sure feel like kids when you don't have kids. I know some of you will understand that.

Time for an update!

2011-03-06T19:50:00.000-08:00

So, we have a couple of newer things going on in life! Caleb has just gotten a new job! It's better pay and steadier hours. He is back in construction, but they are a company that does lots of work on the I-15 core project, so they only do a layoff for the 2 weeks for Christmas! Hello long vacation!
I have also started an additional job. I am now one of the trainers at my local Curves. I now have my membership for free, and I get paid instead! It's great! It makes me really happy which leads to my other piece of news...
I am going to go back to school! I have decided that I want to become a dietitian! I am way excited, and have started requesting information for schools, and looking into their financial aid! Wish us luck!

Oh WoW!

2011-01-31T11:45:00.000-08:00

I didn't realize that I haven't posted on this blog for ages!

Well, not much is going on with Caleb and I. We are still loving our new place, and working on making our lives better every day.

Caleb is still working for the same company, and I am doing great as manager down at the Springville Great Clips. My owner is really happy with me, and my employees work really hard to make my life easier! I am a lucky woman!

I signed up for Weight Watchers with my dad at the beginning of the year. I have lost 5.5 lbs so far, and I am well on my way to my goal of losing 50 lbs by Christmas!

I will offer a more detailed update hopefully in the next week. If you want to follow my detailed weight loss journey, visit minniesfatjourney.blogspot.com

New Job... Sort Of

2010-11-22T16:50:00.001-08:00

Well, I have been transferred to the Springville Great Clips. The owner of the store came to me and asked me if I would want to go down to the Springville store, and be the manager! :)
So I have been working at the Springville store for about a week. I quite like it! We are going to be able to grow so much that it will be great!
Well, that's all that is new! I will be posting about Thanksgiving with the Ellison's later this week!

We are in our new pad!

2010-11-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

I LOVE OUR NEW HOME!!!!!!!

Our new apartment may be smaller than our last, but I feel more at home here than I ever did at our last place. It is so much easier to feel The Spirit here. It's cozy and homey! Our last place felt like we never really moved in all the way.
There was a moment last night as we were finishing making sure the apartment was good for the landlord to come through that was very emotional. I realized that we had been living in such a "hell hole" for over a year, and I never really realized how bad it was, until we had moved out. I started to cry, because I realized that where we lived was a big part of the problems that Caleb and I have had ever since we moved in there. Neither of us ever felt good, so we were cranky, and more at each other's throats. We do still have some things to work on, and they are slowly getting better. But I was so overwhelmed with the fact that I was finally happy and feeling good for the first time since we moved out of our first apartment in Spanish Fork. It was a bittersweet moment. I know that we needed to live there to find our current ward, and I am glad we did that. But now, we are in the same ward, in a much better situation.

Well, I'd better get back to unpacking more boxes! :)

We took a break from packing....

2010-10-24T16:06:00.000-07:00

to go on a fun double date! Our old double date partners in crime, Enoch and Amy Nielson, asked us to go out with them last night. It was a total blast! We went to JCW's for dinner, and then we went to Free Country Dancing Night at the old Pleasant Grove Rec Center. For those who don't know, Caleb and I met through some of our other country dancing friends. While we were there, SO MANY memories came back to me. Mostly of how much I truly do love myhusband. He's not the best dancer I've ever danced with, but he is sure my favorite. He makes me laugh so much! He's just a goof! Plus, it's an amazing workout! Wahoo! I found out that I burned around 950 calories in that night dancing! Crazy stuff! It was a good time, and we WILL be doing it again! :)

We're Moving!

2010-10-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

That's right! We are moving out of our Moldy, cockroach infested, expensive apartment! We couldn't be more happy to be out of it! We aren't buying a home yet, but we found a less expensive apartment in our same ward. They are good with the cats and everything, so we are moving! It's a little smaller, but it's safer, and it gets us out of our ghetto fabulous apartment we are in now. We are hoping to be in our new place by the 1st!

Slowing things down...

2010-10-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

So, the biggest thing I got out of this General Conference is that I need to slow things down in my life. I have been burning the candle at both ends for FAR TOO LONG!!!!

So, the first step I am taking is to get a set schedule at work. I am much more rested, and feel less rushed when my schedule is set. I am also going to only be working 4 days instead of 5, which we can now afford financially, and still be able to buy groceries and such.

The second thing, is that I'm going to take some "me" time every week. I never do anything for myself. I am always doing something for someone, which isn't necessarily bad, but I still need some "me" time. I can spend it scrapbooking, reading, or whatever I feel that day. It may just be something as simple as getting together with a friend for lunch. I just need to do something for me.

Caleb is also going to have some "me" time as well. He works really hard, and deserves to have a couple of hours to do with what he wishes.

We are also going to have "us" time. We don't really go on dates or anything like we used to, and we have noticed that it makes a difference in the happiness of our marriage. We will have set date nights, and spend it doing something fun, whether it's watching something on Netflix, or going Country Dancing like we used to. We both miss it.

So, those are the first steps we are going to take in slowing down our lives. We will see how that helps us! :)

Hello All!

2010-09-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

Well, It's time for an update!

We have decided that we are going to wait a little while longer to purchase a home. We really feel that we need to pay a couple more things off before we make that big of a purchase, so that we can more easily afford our mortgage.

Also, Caleb has kidnapped my Love Dare book, so I haven't been the one giving the Love Dare anymore. Caleb has been very sweet and loving lately, and it has really been a nice change in the atmosphere in our household.

I have realized recently, that I have not figured out who I am as a married woman. I knew who I was when I was single, and even when I was engaged, but I don't know who I am as a married woman, which means I lost who I was about 3 years ago. I don't know how to be me, and be a wife and future mother. Yes, I do still yearn to start my family, but I think I need to know who I am again before that happens. So, I am on that journey again, and starting to learn who I am as a married woman.

We aren't dead!

2010-09-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

We have just been extra busy!

Well, we also havne't been up to much other than work and sleep. I've been working on making our little apartment more of a home, and Caleb has been working hard at his job. We really have been busy despite our lack of posting.

Recently, I decided I was going to do "The Love Dare" to my husband. I realize now, that I haven't been the kind of wife he deserves to have. I will periodically update as I am on this journey, but I encourage those who don't know what "The Love Dare" is, to look into it, and maybe take some time to apply it to their lives. I am learning a new kind of love for my husband, that I knew was there, but never had really felt.

All in all, life is good, and we have no complaints!

Alicia's Photos!

2010-08-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry it took so long to get these up! Here they are!

Furniture

2010-08-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

So, for my Birthday last week, I went furniture shopping with my mom, and my friend Carrie. I ended up getting a beautiful piece at a little place called Finders Keepers in American Fork. It is the CUTEST store! They have so many things I want to go and pick up! I would have bought a mirror today if I had the money for it! They seriously are going to be a place that I go only when I have money to spend on furniture, which won't be for a while where we are working on paying things down more to get into a house. I will post a picture of my piece I bought later, but if you want to see it now, check out my mobile uploads on Facebook!

Update about Housing

2010-08-08T19:37:00.000-07:00

So, I thought I would let everyone know that we have stopped looking for the time being. We want to be a little more financially sound, and make sure we are madly in love with the place before we decide to buy. We liked the places we had offers in on, but now is just not the right time for us. We love you all, and thanks for the encouragement. We are going to take another 4-6 months and pay a bunch of things down so that we will be in better shape for a home. So for now, we are going to stay in our apartment in Provo.

Turning 25

2010-08-01T14:59:00.001-07:00

So, today is my birthday, and I have a lot of feelings about it, not all of them positive. But I have to start off by saying, that I am happy where I am at in my life, even though it is different than I thought it would be.
A lot of my friends thought I would be the first one married and starting my family. Little did I know then, that I wouldn't get married until I was 22, and at 25 still have not started our family. For me, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Yes, I feel ready to start my family. But we are on different adventures now, and I am excited for those.
I thought I would be in a house by now, and we are in the process of that. Still haven't heard anything on the townhouse, but the real estate agent in charge of the property is saying that the bank that owns it is dragging their feet. We are going to be putting in an offer on a condo in Provo! We walked into this condo and felt right at home. A condo isn't my first choice, but this condo is 1100 square feet, and it feels homey, so I will keep you updated about that!
My plan was always to go back to school. I have yet to do that at this point, but I am happy about that. I never thought I would love doing hair like I do!
All in all, I am truly excited for what this next year will entail. It will be wonderful!

It's been too long!

2010-07-21T15:14:00.001-07:00

Ok, so it's been a while since I sat down and blogged, so I thought I would today to update everyone on what is going on.
Still no news on the house. The soonest we could hear is a week, the latest is August 14th, so we still have a couple of weeks of waiting in all reality. We feel really good about this property, so we will see what is in store for us.
Work has been keeping us both really busy, which has truly been a blessing. We have been very blessed financially since all of this started to fall into place. We are starting to look like we have a more substantial life, and we have been able to live within our budget and been able to save money, which has been so great!
About a week ago, my friend Alicia needed some guinea pigs for her new photography business. She used us, and I have always wanted sunset pictures with Caleb since we first met. She took us out, and from what she has shown us, they turned out really sweet. I will post those when I get them back later this week. If you need a sneak peek, check out my facebook page.
Well, that's it for now!

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!!!!

2010-07-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

WE ARE GROWN UPS!

We put in an offer today on a great townhouse near my parents. (Nearness to my parents wasn't high on the priority list, we just loved this property!) Now we are anxiously waiting to hear back to see if they have accepted our offer. We were told today that it may take 30-60 days... In the mean time, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, and hope that we are blessed with business, as we are frantically coming up with a down payment as big as we can, while handling all of our other expenses.
We love you all, and are so grateful for the love and support you give us!

Happy Birthday Bev!

2010-06-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

My mom is an amazing person. She is very genuine, and very loving to anyone who crosses her path. I have always admired my mom in so many ways. She has always been there for me, even when it was inconvenient for her.
When I was in 5th Grade, I wore a dress to school for picture day. I had gotten new shoes, and I wore them to school that day. Well, in my normal routine of walking to school, there was a little small ditch that we passed, and we would take a little jump across it. As i jumped that day, my right shoe fell off into the water, and we couldn't catch up to it soon enough. So, I hopped to school on one foot, and went straight to the office letting them know that I needed to call my mom. I called her, let her know what happened, and she left her full time job that day to run to the store, by me yet another new pair of shoes, and drive it back to American Fork to bring them to me. I may have gotten teased the rest of the school year and been called Shoeless Shala, but that's not the part I dwell on. The part that I dwell on was the fact that my mom loved me enough to come and bring me new shoes.
My mom loves her grandsons so much. I can't wait for my kids to have the honor of getting to know her. I haven't always been great about letting my mom know this, but I love her more dearly than she probably ever thought.
Love you mom!

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T22:36:00.001-07:00

I need to take a moment to acknowledge the fathers in my life on this Father's Day.

I want to start with my brother Tyler. My brother has never been one to take the easy way in life, and for that I truly admire him. When he married my beautiful sister in law Kimie, it was a packaged deal. He was insta-daddy for lack of a better term. He went from bachelorhood to fatherhood, and he has done well. I've always admired how he was able to come into his family so quickly. Rico is a true blessing in our lives, and so is William. I can't wait to see them all again.

Next would have to be Don, my father in law. He is a truly amazing man. He travels tons for work, but has always made Caleb and Kathie his priorities in his life. Even now, he will make time to spend with my husband each time he comes into town. He is so tender hearted. He has always been protective of me as well as Caleb. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better father in law, or family to have married into for that matter.

Then there is my Daddy, Jim. There aren't words in this world to describe how grateful I am to have him as my father. I'm a Daddy's Girl, and always will be. My dad has been nothing but supportive of me in my life. He is charasmatic, and has such a way with children. Kids have always flocked to my dad. It's fun to watch young cousins, my nephews, and my cousins young children all come and play with my dad. I can't wait for my kids to get the opportunity to know him.

And then there is my sweet Caleb. I don't think I could have married a better man. He loves with all of his heart. He is so tender hearted, and I know that when we have a little girl, she will have him wrapped around her little finger. He's a softie, even though he can pretend to be a tough guy sometimes. I am looking forward to starting our family, and for him to experience fatherhood.
I love you all, and feel truly blessed to have you in my life.

Love, Shala

NITRO JAM!!!!!!!

2010-06-20T22:28:00.000-07:00

So, Caleb got his Father's Day present early, and we went to Nirto Jam saturday night! It was a total blast, and I'm pretty sure we will be going every year! Here are some pictures from our night out on the town!

Jet Truck with 3 jet engines on the back!

YaY for Top Fuel!

There's the 3 engines!

Parked on the oval track! Even with your tongue sticking out, I love you honey! Happy Father's Day!

Letters to Juliet

2010-06-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I treated myself to this movie today, and I loved it more that I originally thought I would. It is not just a love story about an old couple. It's about how different people have different interpretations of what love/true love are. It is beautifully told, and the cast was phenomenal.
There is such a thing as loving someone, but not being in love with them. There are people who haven't believed that, but this movie is proof of that.
It is a must own for me, so go and check it out. You will leave all warm and fuzzy! :)

Pony Express Days Rodeo

2010-05-30T08:36:00.001-07:00

So, last night I took Caleb to his first Rodeo! We had a blast! Here are some pictures from the event!

Announcer Stand
Bull Ride

Another Bull Ride

It was windy, so we were cuddly

I like him in his Cowboy clothes!

Thanks to Steve and Eva who came with us, and then we went out to dinner after, because the rodeo was over quick in comparrison to other rodeos I've been in. Caleb had enough fun that I think we will be going to at least one more rodeo this year, if not a couple.

Disconnected

2010-05-26T20:23:00.001-07:00

I feel very disconnected from a lot of people that used to be a huge part of my life. I'm not saying my life now is bad or anything, I just feel disconnected from them. Has anyone ever felt like that?? I just don't know what to do or where to go from here. I want to feel connected to them, but I don't know how. Any suggestions?

Microsoft Money

2010-05-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

So, I love this program. Where we are trying to get our debt figured out for our house hunting, this program has been a lifesaver! I love that it gives me updates on everything that I need to pay. If we continue making the payments that we are on our credit cards, they can be completely paid off in 3 years time! That's without me putting my extra tip money like I plan to! We are trying to shift a few things around so that our debt looks better for the loan process, but I love this program! It's easy for Caleb to check and see where we stand too!

Guess what we are doing....

2010-05-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

WE ARE HOUSE HUNTING!!!!!!

We are finally starting to look for a home. I never realized how big of a pain it was. Right now we are looking low, and getting prequalified for a loan. We don't want to shoot for something too high and get our selves sold on something the bank won't give us. The only thing right now, is we really don't have a down payment. We are looking in Eagle Mountain where they don't require one, but we are seeing if we can find a way to aquire one in the next couple of months. So lately my tips have been going into savings and into a bank account we haven't been using much to strictly pay down debt with.
It's weird to finally be at this place in our lives. I never thought we would be at a buying situation so close. I figured it would be another year or two. It's surreal! Things just seem to be falling into place for us in a lot of ways. We are settling down. It's crazy! I'm so happy!

Have you ever....

2010-05-17T21:31:00.000-07:00

Had one of those days where it seems like everything didn't go good at all, but nothing truly horrible happened?

Yeah, that was my day today.

I'm glad tomorrow is another day. I'm ready to start over.

It's Time....

2010-05-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

...to share with all of you what I have really been up to lately! I am working really hard on losing weight, and I have started a blog about my weight loss journey. I've been doing it for over a month, and I feel ready to let some more people know about it. Please come stop by anytime. http://minniesfatjourney.blogspot.com I can use all of the motivation I can get. It's not been a speedy journey at all. I'm doing this the old fashioned way, so thanks in advance for all of the love and support!

Mother's Day!

2010-05-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers, and women who (like me) yearn to be mothers. This is a day to celebrate all of the wonderful women in our lives.
I may not be the best at showing it, but I am one of the luckiest girls in the world to have been blessed with my wonderful amazing mother! My mom has been such a support to me in my life. I really love her so much, and I can only hope to be as good of a mother as she is.
Love you Mom!

I don't understand...

2010-05-07T22:55:00.000-07:00

Why is it that people in unstable relationships who do nothing but party and drink and smoke are blessed with children, when people who are good, decent, God fearing people, either can't get pregnant, or end up not being able to keep their children for very long.
Tonight I found out that someone I know is pregnant for the 2nd time in 2 years. She is quite the partier. I didn't think she would be getting pregnant quite so fast from the way she was talking about things.

Another friend of mine has had beautiful angel children, and sadly hasn't had an opportunity to raise them yet. I know how hard loosing these children has been on her and her hubby, and I'm so happy to say that she is pregnant again, and everything seems to be going great.

Then there is another friend of mine, who like me, just yearns to start her family and be pregnant.

I don't get it! Why? Why is it that people who want children so badly don't get them, when people who don't seem to care when it happens are blessed with children so often?

Sorry for the rant. I was just really frustrated by that tonight.

Seeing an Old Friend

2010-05-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had an old friend from hair school find me on Facebook. We decided to go out and do something. Originally, it was just going to be us girls, but we decided to bring our husbands along to see how they would get along. It was really nice to see her again! She helped me more than she knows to get through hair school with my sanity in tact! Our husbands got along great too, so it looks like we have another couple we can occasionally double with!
Thanks again Bethany and Mitch! We had so much fun!

BYU Women's Conference

2010-05-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

This week, I got to attend BYU Women's Conference with my cute mom, my sweet grandma, one of my favorite aunts, and my mom's RS presidency. We had a blast! Here are a few pictures from our adventures on campus!

Mom and I had a blast!
Got to meet Alex Boye, and he was so nice!

Ready to party it up! Wahoo!

This is the RS Presidency mom is a part of. All of thes ladies are so sweet!

Got to see Terelyn, and spent all of Friday with her!

Ah, the Ellison Gals!

It was seriously so much fun! Anyone who wants to come with us next year is more than welcome! We had a lot of fun, but we were also spiritually fed. I learned a lot about myself, and things that I need to work on. I love being spiritually fed with a bunch of women. Especially women that are close to me!

CTR 7

2010-04-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I officially spent today with my class, and it is the kids getting baptized. There are 3 of them, 2 are already baptized, and the other one gets baptized next month. Anyhow, today was good. I sat in with the class. I can see how others would find them harder to deal with, but I find them to be your typical 8 year olds that like to be in the middle of everything. They are pretty good kids. I'm on my own the next 3 sundays with them, so hopefully things will go great! I'll just have to make sure I have some fun gospel games and such.

Pedicures!

2010-04-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, my cute mom sent me an email this morning, saying she wanted to go and get pedicures done! She told me to call and make the appointments for a time that works with my work schedule. Well, we got in today! My feet are so soft! I forgot how much I love pedicures! Also, they painted my toenails SO CUTE!!! I had them do the same thing on my mom's toes! Hers are pink, and mine are blue.
It was so nice to just relax for that hour and let someone else rub my feet. Caleb is good to do that for me, but it's not the same as when you get a pedicure!
So, THANK YOU MOM!!!! Today was fun and relaxing!

New Calling

2010-04-11T19:49:00.000-07:00

So, I got a new calling at church. I am now back in the Primary. This time though, I will be teaching older kids. From what the bishop says, it will be the 8 yr old kids. I'm excited that it won't exactly feel like babysitting, but I'm a little scared because these are older kids that can participate, so I need to be more on my guard, and much more prepared. It will be a challenge, but a good one I feel. We will see how I feel once I meet the group of kids I will be teaching. I'm sure it will be great, and they will be fun kids.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

Caleb spent Saturday with his Dad in Spanish Fork, so that they could go to priesthood session together. I went to work, and then went to Kaysville, and spent the day with family. Here are some pictures from the day.

Got plenty of face time and laughs with these two little guys! "I put my hands up!" "I already took a bath!"

And watched Autumn make her delicious Red Velvet Cake Balls. I did help put on the sprinkles though....

Today we spent the day at my parents house watching General Conference, (SO POWERFUL!) eating great food, and having a grand old time.

From our Family to yours, Happy Easter. May you truly remember the real meaning of it, and take this time to appreciate our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. One of my most memorable Easters, was 4 years ago. I was asked to speak in church just on the Crusifiction. I couldn't speak on Gethsemane, or the Resurection, just the Crusifiction. It was difficult for me, but I learned so much, that I will never forget that particular Easter.

I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that Jesus Christ did everything he came here to do, and that we have ever learned about. I know that He Lives, and I can be an instrument in His Hands. I'm so grateful to have this knowledge in my life.

Caleb's Birthday Weekend

2010-03-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

So, 26 years ago my wonderful husband came to this earth, and we like to do something special for each other on our birthdays. This year, we went to Salt Lake, and stayed at the Anniversary Inn. We love staying there. We always have a great time there. We watched The Blind Side in our room, and got a good chance to relax.
The big event of the day, was a Grizzlies Hockey Game. Caleb LOVES hockey, so I decided to go to a game, since that's what we did for his birthday last year. Coincidentally, they were playing the same team as last year, the Bakersfield Condors.

Our section won these foam fingers, and we couldn't help but laugh at it! It makes me wonder if people had really done it! :)

And because I love this guy so much, I spoiled him a little bit, and splurged for more expensive seats.

Here is where we sat. We were six rows back from the glass. They were GREAT seats! I only wish that the Grizzlies would have held onto their lead, and won the game. The Condors won in Overtime, and then we went back to our hotel room, and got some sleep.

Tonight we decided that we wanted to go out, so we went and got Noodles and Company for dinner. Then we went Bowling!

YaY for Miracle Bowl! We love it there! It's a great atmosphere. We had Scottie join us, and we had a BLAST!

I'm so glad Scottie is home, and that he still wants to hang with us, even though we are the old married couple now!

Happy Birthday Caleb! I hope that you had a great one! It was a great one for me!

Mothering

2010-03-23T21:39:00.000-07:00

I know, interesting blog title from someone who doesn't have children of their own. (And no, this is not a pregnancy anouncement either.) I had an interesting experience tonight that I would like to share.

About 45 minutes ago, Caleb and I were getting ready to go to sleep, when we hear our cats sounding like they are starting to play a little too rough. I asked Caleb to go and bring one of them into the bedroom, because that usually helps calm down the situation, and then they both come lay on the bed, and we all go to sleep.

Well, Caleb brings Jethro in, and as I am petting him, I feel a wet spot by his face. I asked Caleb why his head was wet, thinking he may have just layed in his water bowl again. He turned on the light so we could see what was going on, and my hand I had been petting his face with was covered in blood. All of the sudden, my mothering instincts kicked in. I calmly asked Caleb to grab a wet washrag, so that I could wipe off the blood and see what was going on, and where the blood had originated from. I stayed calm through the whole process, continuing to reassure my little Jethro, that he was fine, and that everything will be fine. Once we got rid of the blood, I noticed a tiny scratch on his ear, figuring that it was why they were a little rowdy before all of this. I then calmly clipped the front paws on both cats, and I haven't heard a peep out of them since.

Anyway. The fact that my mothering instincts kicked in, was a really cool experience. For those who don't know, Caleb and I have been talking more about adding a little one to our family, but I was always scared that the mothering instinct wouldn't kick in for me. Knowing that it has with my cats, as funny as it may seem to some of you, is really reassuring to me. My cats are my kids right now, and I would be devastated if they were ever really harmed. To me, it would be like loosing a child, because I love and care for them so much. (Again, you may not understand, but our pets in our house growing up were family, and I was devastated when we lost them both. It was like loosing a sibling to me, because they were such a part of our lives. Talk to my mom if you have a hard time believing that.)

Back to the point. I know now, that I am ready to take that step in my life. It wasn't just this experience, but there was another a few weeks ago that got the wheels in my head turning. Rendi, Alan, and Karsten all came down for a visit at the beginning of the month. Karsten hadn't been feeling well, and he had been grumpy and fussy for what he normally is. I had just gotten off work, and decided to go over to my mom's and visit with them, to make sure that I got to see them while they were here on this trip. Rendi was feeding Karsten a bottle when I got there, and as soon as he realized I was there, he whipped his head away from his bottle, and turned on the charm, all directed at me. I played with him, and Rendi was surprised how happy he was being with me. What Rendi didn't know, is that I was praying about whether or not I could handle being a mother. That little tender mercy through Karsten let me know that I can handle being a mother, and I have the potential to be a great mother. I'm not perfect, but I know that when it comes to my future kids, no kids will be more loved by their mother than mine. I now ache for those children to come and be a part of my life, which is a really weird feeling. It's not a bad feeling, just a weird one.

Well, I need to get some sleep. I will end here for now.

Overnighter

2010-03-21T10:16:00.001-07:00

This last week, Caleb had an overnighter at work. He left late enough to take his load down south, that he had to stop and sleep once he hit Panguitch on the way back. Needless to say, I have never been more grateful for my animals in that moment! It took me until Caleb said he was going to sleep to be able to try to sleep myself. I was worried with him driving late, because I wanted him to be safe.

Luckily for me though, I had this little guy to cuddle with. Jethro was my little source of comfort that night. He stayed by my side, and just purred his little heart out, to let me know everything was going to be fine, and that Caleb was better off to sleep, rather than keep driving when he is tired.

This one on the other hand, was just as worried as I was that Caleb wasn't home. Jewel would come and wake me up every 45-60 minutes, yelling in my face, asking where he was. I would reassure her that he would be home tomorrow morning, and she would move to the end of the bed, and go to sleep for a little bit. This cycle repeated itself until I got up for the day.
Needless to say, I was very excited when I came home from work that day to have him at home, cuddled up on the couch with the cats. We celebrated his homecoming by going to Tepanyaki, and then going to pay bills! :)

Realization

2010-03-19T21:46:00.001-07:00

So, lately I have been feeling like something is missing in my life. I have a great family, a PHENOMENAL husband, and a job where I actually enjoy going to work every day. What more could I be asking for? I have the feeling that what I am doing in life doesn't really have a purpose. I don't really have a goal for where I would like my life to go. (Other than getting sealed for time and all eternity, and starting our family.) I don't know that I want to be someone who just works for my life. I want it to have more purpose and meaning. I haven't ever really told anyone this, and I feel I need to share this. I have always had the ambition to be an inspiration for people. I would love to write a book or something of that nature, that could be a help to someone else. Not for money or anything like that. I don't want what I am saying to be misconstrued. I want to matter to someone outside of my families and friends. I don't know why I have always had this in my mind.

Ever since I met John Bytheway, I always wanted to do something similar. (I know it sounds silly, but it is really how I feel.) To inspire people to realize that this life has meaning, and that anyone can achieve their dreams through the right support system. (And believe me, Jesus Christ is one of my biggest supports in my life.)

I have also realized recently how lucky I am to have Caleb as my husband. He is so supportive of any decision I make. I took about a 4 month break from a full time job, and he didn't even blink. He wanted me to be happy and find what I wanted to do with my life, and with a job. I honestly learned so much about myself in that time. He works so hard to support us, and to give us a life where we can pay down our bills and hopefully soon start our family. He does it without even flinching. On my "I'm Fat" days, he holds me, and tells me how much he doesn't care about that, and that he truly loves me for me, not for what size I am. I will never be able to truly express how much he means to me.

Today

2010-03-16T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today was a fun day complete with a happy mistake.

Work was busier than I had expected, and I came home with twice as many tips as I was expecting! :) That is always a happy surprise! I got lots of phone calls and emails when I was busy cutting hair.

One phone call was from my friend Kristi, although I thought it was from my friend Christy. I need to let you know that I met both of these lovely gals at the same time, and they sound very much the same. So, when Kristi called, I thought it was the other Christy. So without even thinking to ask for a last name, I show up at Christy's house with a plate of goodies, and her and her adorable hubby invite me in just to visit. So when I mention getting started on her haircut, she mentions that she didn't call me about it. I then stupidly realize that I know another Kristi, and call her, explaining that they sound WAY too similar on the phone, and we need to start using last names! I told her I would be there shortly, as I wanted to visit with the other Christy. It was great to visit with them. I really should have them over for dinner sometime.

Then, I got to go join my lovely friend Carrie on a mile walk. She has been such an inspiration to me. She truly has goals, and is going to reach them. I admire her so much for that. Her goal is to run a 5k this summer. She is starting out walking, and then working her way up to running. I only hope one day to be like Carrie. Check out her Penguin Run Journey at http://mypenguinrun.com It was fun to visit and catch up with her a little. I will have to do it again soon.

Next, it was off to my workout at Curves. Curves is such a fun place! I actually enjoy going down for my workout! :) That's always been a struggle for me. Now, not so much!

After coming home and having dinner, I sat down, and watched Julie and Julia. What a marvelous movie! It was truly inspiring! I enjoyed it, and will be buying it soon! :)

I hope you all had a wonderful day too! :)

SCOTTIE IS HOME!!!!!

2010-03-12T20:08:00.000-08:00

Caleb did his best with the video, but we are glad to have him home, and to have caught the moment on video!

Really? This fast?

2010-03-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2HIda5wSVU&feature=player_embedded

Much faster than I would have expected, but I'm still excited! Enjoy!

Speaking of Work...

2010-03-02T08:43:00.000-08:00

I don't think that I have mentioned that I am back doing hair! I have taken a job at the Great Clips out in Eagle Mountain. I really like it out there, a lot more than I ever thought I would! But, i miss doing color on a regular basis! I still do color out of my home and make house calls for people, but i miss being able to do it in a salon.
Caleb looks like he has also found new employment after being layed off these last 2 months. (Which is way better than the 8 months it was last year!) It would be for a trucking company with steady freight, and he would be driving all over the state of Utah! He's really looking forward to it! He's already taken the mandatory drug test and everything, so we are pretty sure he has the job!
It's so nice to know that we can be stable and level out again! YaY for Jobs!

Caleb or Luke?

2010-02-04T09:29:00.000-08:00

Ok, so as many of you know, I really loved the show Gilmore Girls. I still really enjoy it, and i wish they wouldn't have cancelled it when they did. The main male lead is Luke Danes, played by Scott Patterson.
Well, when I got home from my workout yesterday, this is what I found! My husband, dressed in flannel and a backward baseball cap, cooking and cleaning in the kitchen. Coincidence? I think not...

I love my husband! He is such a sweetheart, and takes such good care of me! I'm a very lucky woman! I giggled when I found him like this. It made my day. Thanks sweetie!

Bring on 2010!

2010-02-03T20:29:00.001-08:00

We as a couple have decided to make 2010 our best year yet! We plan to be more financially sound. We plan to be the healthiest we have ever been in our 3 years as a couple. We plan to eliminate as much debt as possible.
To reach some of these goals, here is how we are going to accomplish them.
1. I have gotten a steady job that offers benefits.
2. Caleb and I are going to live on a budget.
3. Use our tax refund to pay off credit cards.

We are really hoping that this works! Wish us luck!

Christmas in California

2010-02-03T14:21:00.001-08:00

This year, we spent Christmas in California with the Mickey Family. I was fighting a cold for the first half of the trip, so it was mostly a relaxing trip. We did quite a few things while we were there...

Enjoyed one of my favorite Christmas Traditions, watching The Muppet Christmas Carol!
I helped Kathie wrap Christmas presents, but she spent most of one day wrapping for all of the grandkids. She's a trooper!

Of course, we had to make a stop at Dewars!

MMM....Black and White! Dangit! Now I want one!

I saw this, and started cracking up! It was outside Dewars, and it made my day!

On Christmas, we opened presents, and got a huge haul! Caleb likes both teams, so I thought he would enjoy this hat! Way to represent the Mountain West Conference Caleb! :)

Our Christmas was full of movies and games!

We also got some much needed cash from family!

This was Caleb's Favorite Present!

All in all, it was a good Christmas!

Thanksgiving 09

2010-02-03T14:11:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving this year was fun. We started out the day down at the Mickey House for a tasty Thanksgiving breakfast!

Yes, that is Caleb in an apron!
I'm so glad that we got to spend the morning with Kathie! It was wonderful!

Figured we hadn't taken a good pic of ourselves in a while, so we decided to take one!

Next on the list, was Thanksgiving Dinner with the Bell side of my family! Full of lots of food and fun!

Here are my guys!

Caleb couldn't get enough of the Wii and the young cousins!

As is tradition! There can't be a Bell gathering without games!

He was on such a High from the Wii...

That we went out and bought our own as an early Christmas Present!

All in all, a great day!

We aren't dead!

2010-01-21T19:36:00.000-08:00

I promise to update as soon as I download my pictures! We have a lot to share with you! Expect new material later this weekend! :)

Totally Cute!

2009-12-04T14:24:00.000-08:00

Cutest video! Go watch! It makes me happy! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80ssBYdezqM

New Pictures!

2009-11-28T23:28:00.000-08:00

So, Caleb and I try to get pictures taken once a year so that my mom has a new picture for her frame at home. Here are our photos from this year. Thanks again to Nathan T Gross Photography for taking our pictures each year!

Double Date Night!

2009-11-22T12:04:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Curtis and LeeAnn, for our fun double date night!

Last night, we had a chance to all go out and have a night out on the town, which we all needed. It was really fun to go out to dinner and a movie.

Well, we decided that we would brace the crowds, and go see New Moon.

It was really spectacular! This movie got to showcase some great acting! It is far different from the first movie. Thank heavens for a new hair and makeup department! Finally Bella isn't paler than the vampires! :) It made me happy to see that some of those smaller details were taken care of and addressed in this film. The storyline was very smooth, and all fit in great with the book. It really captured the torture Bella and Edward felt apart, and how tortured Jacob was by how much it hurt Bella, and how much he cared for her. All of the parts with the Voltorri (for those who aren't familiar with the books, the Voltorri are basically vampire royalty. They enforce all the rules and laws that vampires have.) were exactly how Caleb and I had both imagined it, except for the fight sequence, which wasn't in the book, but fit really well.

All in all, we give it 2 thumbs up, and are looking forward to seeing it again.

Big Days and Snow

2009-11-17T10:02:00.001-08:00

It seems that as I get older, the important days in my life have become attached to fresh snow. The day Caleb and I got married, it snowed the night before. As I was headed into the temple to receive ordinances, it was snowing. I just hope that our sealing day it isn't snowing since we are hoping for June! :)

Jethro

2009-10-31T13:46:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! I promised pictures of our new little member of our family, so here they are!He and Jewel get along great. She is so happy to have a playmate. She's not so rolly polly anymore! Enjoy!

OPEN HOUSE

2009-10-26T16:32:00.001-07:00

So, it's coming holiday time, and I am participating in a Mary Kay Open House with my Unit. It's going to be held on Wednesday, November 4, from 7-8:30 pm. We are having it at the La Quinta Inn on 800 North in Orem. When you come, remember to tell the consultant you are speaking with that I invited you. That way the sales get credited to the correct consultant. We are going to be having prize giveaways every 15 minutes, so it's worth coming just for the free prizes.

You can also help me earn this:

Please text me or leave me a comment here if you can make it! For those family memebers that don't live near me, I'm not expecting you to come.

Love y'all!

New Blog

2009-10-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, so to make a long story short, my Facebook account got hacked, Gmail can't prove I wasn't the hacker, so I had to get a new blog and a new email address. So, here we are!

So, what's been going on with us, you ask? Well, we have settled in pretty nicely into our new apartment. We are quite liking it so far. It's nice to be able to personalize our place. As soon as I find our camera, I will have pictures for you. (In moving everything around, we have misplaced it.)

I am no longer working at Alexander's Print Advantage. It wasn't a good fit for me or for the company. I wasn't handling the stress very well, and I let that stress consume my life. I gained weight, and I wasn't happy. Caleb has been doing great at his job, so we could afford for me to not be working a full time job.

What am I doing now?? Well, I'm still doing hair. I do house calls, or people come to our apartment and I cut it here. That's been working out nicely for me so far. I am also a Mary Kay Consultant. I really love the products, and I have been very successful thus far doing it. I have lots of goals, and I am feel I can reach them doing this full time. If you need any products, feel free to check out my website. www.marykay.com/shalam I can also teach at a party for anyone who is willing to host one, and you can just call my cell for that.

We have a new addition to our little family. (No, I'm not pregnant or I didn't have a baby and just didn't tell anyone.) We got another little kitty. His name is Jethro, and he is an absolute doll! Jewel just loves him! They are good buddies. They crack us up, and make us laugh every day.

Well, that's all for now until I can get my camera dug out.