L.I.F.E

The choice game for this evening was LIFE which David and I have never played together-and boy was the whole game hilarious. David chose to start the career path immediately (which you only get to choose lower paying careers). The first card David drew was a 30,000$ salary, and moments later, he landed on a "change career" spot. He was overjoyed at the thought of drawing a higher paying salary card and he said "wow, things couldn't get any better", but i laughed and said that would be so funny if you drew 20,000$ (the lowest paying amount)...to which he immediately picked up the 20,000$ card and we both laughed hysterically.

I however, the college girl that I am, proceeded to pick out (without looking) the lawyer card which makes 90,000$ (the second highest paying card you could get). I ended up only getting one baby along the way, and I bought the highest priced house for 800,000$. I maybe landed on 2 spots where I had to pay something and had three lawsuits in a row to which David owed me 100,000$ each time.

Lesson: Go to college! :)

The game was so funny as everything we landed on was so stereotypical of life with the paths we chose. David ended up only 40,000$ less than me in the end which was pretty good. Here are some pictures from our night :)

Notice all my 100,000 dollar bills (yellow)

Notice David's stack of loanes and little cash

These are a few of my favorite things

Christmas, as usual, was wonderful. I got many presents that I don't feel like I deserved. My wonderful mother bought me a sewing machine. When I was around 8 years old, my mom had me take sewing lessons from a lady down the street, and I learned how to sew jumpers, and all kinds of clothes. Since then, i've made shams and a quilt but little else and I have seen how so many people my age have sewed their own curtains, baby bedding, and quilts. Given that I once had sewing lessons, i feel like i'm able to do the very basic things and so I asked for a sewing machine, totally not expecting it. Thanks mom! I will definitely put the machine to use, especially as I move into a house in the next few months and try to personalize my house.

My sweet David got me a nice saute teflon pan (since our other once was getting so scratched up and we were probably eating flakes of poison), a beautiful rotating spice rack, swaroski crystal necklace and with his brother an ipod (to name some of the things).

David got a 26 piece knife set (since our knives that we "borrowed" from his moms house after we first got married are so dull that they work about the same as a butter knife....needless to say, we really needed knives), a paintball mask, glove, and computer chair.

We spent the morning opening presents with my siblings and then spent the late afternoon and evening at David's parents house with his siblings and their kids.

Thursday (Christmas Eve), we spent the day up near strawberry/payson, enjoying the abundance of snow that was up there due to a major storm they had two days prior. We loaded up trucks of snow to suprise David's brother's family with their six kids, and built a snowman and snow slide for the kids. We spent a little time going sledding but this year, was somewhat disappointing as all of the areas we usually sled at were closed off. It was so wonderful to be out in the forest with such clear air, and to see the beauty of Arizona outside the dirt hills and cacti. Thanks Dad Bunzell for throwing the trip together.

Sorry its been so long since my last post, haven't had much besides finals, finals, and more finals going on :) David takes his last one on Tuesday and I take my last one on Wednesday and am definitely looking forward to that.

This past sunday some of my inlaws got together and we made cakeballs and little candies that you make with melted rolos, pretzels, and pecans (if you want the recipe, let me know). Both things were so easy to make and turned out delicious!

The housing search continues to be frustrating as we've been dealing with a good broker but a realtor who has been taking an abundance of time getting back to us. We are praying that the timing will fall into place as we don't need to be out until the end of march but must purchase a home before the end of april to get in on the tax credit.

Lastly, I want to mention how grateful I am for my calling in nursery. This was a really tough change for me to leave the kids in the 13-14 year old sunday school class who I grew to love immensly. But it has been so fun to be with the little ones, to see their love for learning and the energy that I wish I had :) They are the ones that have been away from heaven for the shortest amount of time and you can't but help love their quick to forgive abilities. I guess Heavenly Father knows we all need changes, as much as we don't want them. He knows that we need help from these little ones to soften our nature, as much as they need us for food, love, warmth and shelter.

Thanksgiving 2009

This weekend has been a long awaited, VERY much needed one. I feel so burnt out from school and work and school and work etc etc. Part of me dreaded Thanksgiving this year for one reason: I knew my husband was leaving with his dad and brother to go elk hunting and there was a large possibility that they wouldn't return until Monday if they hadn't caught an elk. I hate being home alone at night, and 4-5 days of that wasn't all that appealing. I kept my fingers crossed and I know others did too that they would come back the next day (friday) and they did!

On Friday I got a text from my mother in law saying that they had shot a 6 point bull (male) elk, and aside from the great deals I got during black friday, that was the best news i'd heard ALL day. The boys returned around 1a.m. and have 350lbs of meat waiting for them. Here are some of their victory photos:

As you can see, even the elk was so happy it was able to offer itself for sustenance that it stuck its tongue out! Great job boys!

Thanksgiving itself was great.....enjoyed a wonderful meal at my inlaws house and got to eat some yummy pumpkin pie at my mom's house.

I got up with my sister at 4a.m. to go black friday shopping and there was one gift I wanted SO badly at Walmart and a lady snatched the last kind of what i wanted literally 10 seconds before I got there. I was a little distraught and there were SO many people in Walmart that i was frustrated and ready to leave. Luckily, my mom was at a nearby Walmart and was able to snatch exactly one of what I wanted-thanks for saving the day mom! I would say what I got but "Santa" is giving us this gift and incase my husband decides to read our blog, I don't want him to find out. Needless to say our black friday wasn't as productive as we thought it would be, but still had a great time enjoying the early morning tradition.

Finals are coming up between now and the next three weeks. One class I am especially concerned about passing (getting a B) and if i can't pass this, I will have to retake the class next year, and won't be able to graduate this summer as I had planned. Please keep me in your prayers! Hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving!

Christmas things and Phantom Sings

So this weekend was a fairly eventful one. My sister-in-law Natalia had her bridal shower and it was so fun to see all the cousins, aunts, and new babies that everyone had. Congratulations Natalia!

We also went with David's brother and his wife Sarah along with his parents to the Texas Roadhouse (steakhouse) for dinner before the play. I haven't been to Texas Roadhouse since I was in 9th or 10th grade with my friend Sharianna.....and my goodness, i have been missing out! They had so many things to choose from on their menu and the food was absolutely delicious. Unfortunately the restaurant took so long to bring out our meal that we had to inhale it and leave half of it with Ryan and Sarah to take home.

David's dad surprised his mom about going to texas roadhouse and she also had no idea that she was going to see Phantom. The play was fairly good, just not as good as i had expected, especially compared to Wicked. The music was so quiet that you couldn't feel the power behind the singers voices. Towards the end of the play, my legs decided to uncontrollably spasm...for like the last 20 minutes of the play. David said 'stop doing that' and i told him i couldn't stop....it was really weird as my legs have never done that before. Hopefully i don't have a clot or something in my leg (the thing thats making my bloodpressure spike)....my legs have been completely numb also one other night this week as i was watching t.v., and again, that has never happened before. Anyways...on to more fun stuff.

I have spent way more this week than i should have, but I was so excited to get my christmas decorations up to enjoy the spirit of christmas a little longer (plus i need a place to put all the presents i have gotten already). Here are a few pictures of the decorations i bought at Hobby Lobby (kind of like a Michaels craft store, but half of the store is just seasonal decorations that are Adorable). I can't wait for Christmas this year, and I know of so many who are in need financially this year. I know my own family has and continues to struggle financially. I am looking forward to finding a way to spread a little christmas magic to them and hopefully another family who i know does not have a job. I am so grateful right now for all that we have. We still live in our tiny apartment, but we have jobs and we are still able to put food on the table and have a little fun by going out to play and getting fun decorations. I hope and pray that there will be many this season who are extra willing to give, as so many people have nothing. I know there have been angels in my family's life, so many times when people have left christmas presents and christmas trees with money on it, and many other miracles on our doorstep when we had so little. I think the Savior himself would want us to reach out to these families and show them his love by doing service.

Nothing too exciting happened during these very quick week. I found out that I should be able to graduate at the end of this upcoming June (although technically I was supposed to graduate a year after that). I am taking several extra courses so that I will not have to pay more tuition (as they are raising the rates again), more 300$ parking spaces, and mostly so that I can have time to be more of a wife and concentrate on starting a family and putting together a home. Yes, David and I have decided to start trying to have a family next year, along with trying to purchase a home and graduate. I may not be home for the first six months of the year, but after that I will be a little more available.

We are very excited to go see Phantom of the Opera next weekend and it will also be my sister-in-laws bridal shower...and lots and lots of shopping :)

Halloween of Course ;)

So here is a picture of all the haunted house crew who helped design, set up, or simply were actors (like myself :)). I am the one on the front row kneeling in a nurses suit. I know its a pretty tiny picture.For Halloween this year we went to David's paren'ts ward party where they had hot dogs, nachos, and ice cream cones...plus we got to see all of our cute nieces and yes, nephews with a plural /s/. Two of the boys were born about a month ago. Later in the evening we got to watch young Frankenstein while David's sweet mom roasted some chicken, made salad, and rice-a-roni, even as tired as she was! Here are some pictures from the evening:

Camping

Two weekends ago, my family had the chance to go up to an area around Christopher Creek AZ to go enjoy some fresh air and camping. Yes, this was an unusual suggestion of mine as I typically despise camping (I don't like waking up to no showers and sleeping on lumpy beds, even with air mattresses). The boys got to do some fishing and David was the only one that caught one fish the entire camping trip. The rest of us enjoyed hiking and catching crawdads which David, my brother, and sister-in-law happily ate (yuck). Here are some pictures from the fun weekend:

This last Saturday David and I got to play active roles in a family/friend haunted house that was well attended. David made me dress up as a nurse with bloody (cornsyrup) bandages, facemask...the whole speal...while he was a vampire working the guillotine. I hid behind part of the passageway, jumped out when people least suspected it and screamed at them.....it was pretty fun and I got a lot of scares.

Costume help

So we have run out of time again this year, and all the costumes at the stores are aroun 50$, frayed, and very very cheaply maid. I wanted to have a giselle costume but both mother-in-laws are unable to make anything for me this year....therefore, i was wondering if anyone had a costume that I could borrow, just for this Saturday, next Friday and next Saturday.

David is going as a Knight (as in princess/king knight)...so it'd be cool to go as something to goes with that theme, but at this point i'm game for pretty much anything. Please let me know ASAP, i promise it'll be treated like gold!

Visiting Teachers

Let me again brag on how wonderful my visiting teachers are. If only I could be a quarter diligent as they are. They come rain or shine everymonth and without fail bring me something yummy to eat. One of my visiting teachers I met for the first time tonight and she cross-stitched this cute jar and filled it with yummy pumpkin candies. Makes me ashamed that I am not doing better. Thank you ladies!

Conference this weekend was wonderful. One talk that was so powerful to me was the one on the Book of Mormon by Elder Holland. No one could have listened to that talk and deny that power in his words. He said that Moroni died shortly after writing "Come unto Christ and live". Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith knew their wives would be left widows, thousands of followers would cross the plains, their feet bleeding and loved ones dying on the way. Persecutions would rage, and yet....they never denied the Book of Mormon once. If it had been false and they were unsure of its truthfulness, they would not have gone through so much to defend the book and the gospel. I have some family members that I pray will eventually return to the church and understand Elder Holland's talk (or the gist of it).

And lately I have thought so much of dear Elder Wirthlin's talk a conference or two ago...and his quote "Come what may and Love it". Lately, while having so much go on in this world, and experience a variety of trials, this quote has reminded me that even though we go through trials, love them, and know that they are refining you and making you into the person Heavenly Father wants and expects you to be. How blessed we are to have the gospel in our lives and to have leaders filled with inspiration, to give us hope in these Latter Days...amidst everything chaotic going on in this world, the gospel is our constant.

Wedding and things

This last weekend we got to go to my wonderful friend Heather's wedding. I had never been to a civil wedding ceremony so this was quite the experience. Luckily, the ceremony was short and sweet (it was like 110 degrees outside and ants were all over the ground) :). It was followed by a full course meal and some yummy appetizers. I was SO grateful to just enjoy some relaxation and time with my hubby and close friends. The wedding was held at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. Congratulations Heather and Chris, Heather, I will miss you!

This week has been really difficult as far as schooling goes. I had a killer hard exam last week in Neuro communications which I landed the lowest grade I have ever gotten in grad school on a test. I had a full blown 4 essay question exam with multiple parts to write this last weekend, and I have an Aphasia exam tomorrow. Let me just say my one relief is that I get to go clothes shopping with David (he's getting new tennis shoes) after I am done, and I haven't been shopping in a LONG LONG time. If you know me, I used to go clothes shopping a couple times a month back when I could afford it and had the time :)

I am so excited for Halloween this year. Last year I made a last minute t-shirt that said "Go Edward" for my costume...lame i know. Seeing everyone else dress up made me realize how much more fun I would have if I did that too. I was thinking about having my mom make me the blue dress off of Disney's "Enchanted" and being Giselle....Any other thoughts as to what I should be? I find it so difficult to find any costumes in stores that weren't made specifically for hookers so time is of the essence. And....we got to decorate my speech room with Halloween-y things today, it is SO cute! Here are pictures of the wedding!

These pictures are all courtesy of Kimberly Jarman, Heather's Photographer...I can find her information for you if you are interested.

And these are my pictures, not nearly as good.....