Sorry to bust your bubble, but snow is NOT FUN!

k this is the road conditions. The circles with lines in the middle are the CLOSED highways. Keep in mind many more closed after this update.
K. Let me break it down for you.

Yesterday we had a blizzard. Last night it rained I think and snowed, but it was warm. Then it was cold. What does that all add up to? ICE! So I wake up..........hear the ENORMOUS wind gusts, decide to leave 15 minutes early. WELL, good thing, I showed up to work just like 2 minutes before 8:00 when normally I'm there at least 5 minutes early. The drive was NOT fun. The roads appeared to be fine, then when you try to speed up you feel your car getting out of control. It also doesn't help that you're listening to the radio hearing how people are sliding off the road and rolling their cars over on the exact interstate that REBECCA drives everyday. Well, thank goodness I got there fine. Things just kept getting worse and Clay called to leave me a message that a boy in his class had JUST come from Idaho Falls to Rexburg and passed 7 cars that had slid off the road. Roads were CLOSING all over the place and the roads were basically just black ice. Even in town it was bad. I was told I could spend the night at Patty and Paul's (my in-laws who live 5 minutes from work) and borrow Patty's clothes for the next day and stuff. I didn't know WHAT to do. I got in my car, said a quick prayer, was planning to go to Winco on my way home...got to Winco, was 5 feet away from my car and turned around and got back in it because over and over in my head was, "it's just not worth it, it's just not worth it". IT JUST IS NOT WORTH THE RISK! Can you imagine if I got in an accident? What is my excuse? The fact of the matter is, I KNEW the dangers of the roads, so there is no excuse and I just decided I wanted to stay safe. Besides, Clay will be at work until 9:00 for his first training. Oh yeah, I guess I made the right choice because half of the highway turned out to get closed, that I go on everyday, because of how bad it was. Obviously it was just getting worse. I didn't want to be a part of any accident that causes a road to close. All in all, summer better hurry up because I am SO DONE with winter. I don't mean to be a drag, it's just the way it is. So right now, I am at Patty and Paul's. They are so sweet, they are ALWAYS checking on me to make sure I am getting places safely and that i'm doing okay.

Well, work is good. I am getting to be pretty quick at tax returns. My fellow intern, Berny, has been commenting on how quickly I get things done. "You're already done with that?" Those type of comments. I am starting to think I should slow down. They don't always have stuff for me to do. Next week it will really liven up though because everyone will have their W-2's. I really feel like I'm starting to get stuff and things make a lot more sense to me than they did in the beginning. I still despise waking up so early and driving so much. I would definitely rather be home raising children and keeping up a house. Work stinks.

Man, my blogs have turned boring and pessimistic. You just wait until summer. I'll be happy all the time! Love you all! Stay safe and warm and happy.

BEST day off ever and it's only 2:00!

So I must say, today is a wonderful day! I woke up naturally at 8:00am. I know that sounds early for a Saturday but the truth is, I've been waking up at 6am everyday for 2 weeks (besides weekends) so that is quite an extra amount of sleep! I felt great. Did my morning routine (I've decided I'm like Mom- if I don't do the same routine every morning then my day turns into a mess) read scriptures and read blogs while drinking my carnation instant protein drink. I then looked on MarthaStewart.com which I haven't done in a long time and found 2 recipes I want to try. I like to browse and find new cookie recipe's every once in a while. They have never failed me. WAIT! Once they have. Only once though. I got a cookie recipe that is just like the girls scout grasshopper cookies (I think that's what they are called...they are the thin chocolate mint ones) and they look way easy and fun so I am going to try that today, then I got a dinner recipe that is called Macaroni and three cheeses. Or something like that. It is like a macaroni casserole type thing that honestly looks DELISH! I want to try it sometime this week.

Okay ONTO MY DAY! So I was sick of the computer and looked at all I could and then grabbed the book I'm currently reading (a Nicholas Sparks novel) and read that for a couple hours. Then Clayton woke up (haha, all that I get done before my husband wakes up). He got ready for work while I cleaned up the house WHICH by the way wasn't messy at all because my amazing husband surprised me on thursday with a spotless house, lit candles so it smelled good, and provided a pizza, breadsticks and root beer from little caesars. I just love him! Normally I'm the one cleaning and providing the food, it was SUCH a good surprise. I hope he caught on that I really really enjoyed that...maybe he'll do it again? I wont hope too high:) Anyway, I cleaned what there was to clean...it took barely any time. He left for some school group projects, I got ready for the day.

I had some errands to run so I go outside and it feels GREAT! I see puddles on the ground. I get in my car and guess what?! IT'S 35 DEGREES! ABOVE ZERO! I was ecstatic! Now...most people when they hear 35 degree's probably think, "...icy roads, freezing, cold cold cold!". Rexburgers (residents of rexburg) tend to think, "melting snow...Shorts, swimming, LIFE IS GOOD!" when it's 35 degrees. That's what I was thinking anyway. Well...not quite that extreme, but I honestly did NOT feel cold at all. My jacket was open while I was outside.

Now...here is where it gets good.

I decide to go to DownEastOutfitters, one of my favorite stores in the world, to see if they have any cute pants for work or something...since I have that 25 bucks I split with Clay from that nice lady. Well I saw a way cute turtleneck for 10 bucks so I decided to look at walmart first before I bought it, even though I really liked it. I looked at walmart, saw nothing I liked for 10 dollars and got some things I needed from there. I decided to go back and get the sale marked item for 10 dollars from DownEast. I get to the counter and BAM! $5.30. She says that ALL CLEARANCE ITEMS IN THE STORE ARE AN ADDITIONAL 50% OFF! Now, this store is AMAZING. I saw many dresses for $20 that I considered getting, but couldn't bring myself to do it. Well, to make a long story short- I got 2 dresses, and 2 shirts for $30.00!!!!!!!!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT! That is a steal my friends. These are nice clothes too. The dresses were originally like $30 each at least. Some more. The shirts were around 30 as well. YES YES YES!

And to finalize the story, this morning our apt was way way way hot (85ish degrees). Well we opened all the windows and I left and when I came back, the heat was off and it was 77 degrees! Perfect in my opinion! My day is wonderful, and it's only just begun! I'm soooo happy:) I just had to share! I will let you all know how my cookies turn out. And the macaroni deal.

Work is good, school is good for clay, he starts his new job on monday, the weather is GREAT! and.....that's pretty much it! Till next time:)

YAY

Yay for Valentines Day template!

Cold

Have you ever woken up and gone to look out the window to see if it snowed but instead, find a thick sheet of ice on the INSIDE of your window????!!! Well friends, that is what happens when it is NEGATIVE 25 DEGREES IN REXBURG! Yikes. And to think I considered wearing a dress today. I don't think so. I wore long jons, pants, two tank tops, a long sleeve shirt, and a vest. Many layers did the trick. (of course with my coat and gloves). It was so cold that every school but Shelly was closed in the area! All except the colleges that is. Work of course, was still open and running:)

Work is getting better each day I think. I still hate working, as do we all. I dread waking up every morning just because I'd rather be sleeping. It doesn't help that Clay looks so peaceful in his sleep as I leave to work every morning. I think it will be better once it gets lighter outside in the morning. I really feel like I am learning a lot and will keep learning a lot. It is already getting better as far as me understanding things. I definitely still ask TONS of questions though. I feel comfortable though and it's all good. The other intern started yesterday and she is in her late 30's I'd guess, 4 kids, and is way cool. She is really nice, has about the same knowledge as me as far as taxes go and we all get along very well.

Clay decided to apply at this place down the street (walking distance, even for him!) called Progrexion (sounds like progression). Anyway, we've heard great things about it, he was sick of his old job and he got the job! Guess what? he put in his two weeks notice today, and then found out a few hours later that the store he was working at is going to close on thursday. HA. We knew that it'd be closing soon, but I think Heavenly Father just might be looking out for us. Clay starts his new job on MONDAY. Meaning...Clay will be out of work for...one day? Yep. He had been thinking about applying there for a while and just decided to last week. Look what happens. Well anyway, the manager who interviewed him was way impressed with his resume and told him he got the job right away and then talked to him for 10 minutes about his other business of summer sales that he basically begged Clay to join. Clay tried telling him his joints are bad and that summer sales (door to door stuff) probably wouldn't be the best for him, but this guy just wouldn't have it. Anyway, we are pretty excited for this new change and think it will be great! The hours are way flexible too.

We saw "August Rush" tonight. It was pretty good. A little odd but way good too. I don't know. I keep going back and forth with it. I think, yeah I liked it a lot. Then I'm like, well....I don't know. I didn't LOVE it though. It was very enjoyable and entertaining, I'll say that much.

Tomorrow is wednesday. Halfway through the week. I am excited for friday. Even more saturday morning when I'll be able to sleep peacefully!

Oh yes. Sunday evening we went to the Leslie's. It was so nice. Every time we get together I think to myself, 'Why don't we do this more often?'. We had roast, mashed potatoes, rolls, and some DELICIOUS cookies that I, myself made called, "Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise". If you want to try them, look online at marthastewart.com. Oh they are wonderful. Anyway, we chatted and just had a great time. We also looked at some old pictures rebecca had in an album. They were all so cute and funny.

K. I should get ready for bed. By the way, the time on my posts is wrong. It is saying I post an hour earlier than I do. I don't really care, but I just though I'd tell you all because Amy has commented a few times on how early I get up each morning. Just know that it is really an hour later than it says!

Oh yeah, one more thing. One of my best friends from high school, Cara, got married! I am so happy for her. She has started a blog and I am just so happy that she is happy and married to a man that she loves.

I love you all, have a wonderful day!

I'm okay.

I just wanted to update y'all since I basically whined and sounded so sad. I am doing just fine. I still feel like an idiot a lot of the time, but so does the other intern and I have come to understand that it is totally fine and expected for me to not know what I'm doing. I have done a few tax returns now- all really really simple ones, which I still struggled with a bit, but am seeing that the more I do them, the better I'll get. I am totally doing fine, and I just wanted to let you all know that so you wouldn't worry about me:) (how self-centered am I that I am thinking you are all worrying about me...oh dear) ANYway, I am so happy that it's the weekend and that I have all day tomorrow to do WHATEVER I WANT! YES! The good thing about weekends now, is that I don't have any homework! YESSSSSSSSS! I am still enjoying that bit of the internship experience. Well, my cookies have cooled and my hubby and I are going to eat them and watch "friends". We borrowed a couple seasons from steph. Now mother, I know you are disappointed in me...and I'm sorry. I really have no excuses for you:( For anyone else that thinks friends is evil, I have this to ask you: Do you watch "The Office"? WELL- I do as well, don't get me wrong. BUT my point is, the office is exactly like friends when it comes to inappropriateness. Oh and by the way, for those of you DYING to know since I've mentioned it, Clay took me to Gandalfo's for our surprise date, a sandwich shop. We had a coupon card thing for a free sandwich there:) We were going to rent "The Matrix" from great american video (which is the same idea as cleanflix), but they were out. So sad. But we still had fun. I love my hubby! I know I sound so cheesy, but I just love him more all the time.

Okay, have a great weekend! I love you all! I will probably post more before the end of the weekend since I'll be home...I'm definitely addicted to this thing. It has been good for me to not be able to check it since I've been working.

I suppose it's time for an update...

I decided I didn't want to post yesterday because I had no good news. Are you thinking, "Oh, but you started your internship yesterday..." That's right. I decided I could post today because I'm not HORRIBLY stressed, as I was yesterday. Though...I am still a little stressed.

So on Sunday night I had Clay give me a priesthood blessing and it was very nice. I slept very well and woke up when my alarm clock went off and everything. I was way nervous, but still excited. I get there and Blake, an accountant there, immediately shows me to my work area downstairs. He shows me to my desk and Berny, a fellow intern who has been there a week already, follows and sits at his desk. He starts showing me some programs on the computer and then Jamie comes downstairs, another accountant, and says she'll show me around upstairs. WELL, she shows me the filing room of last years returns that are color coded and tells me to find a certain company. I quickly find it and she gives me a balance sheet and a profit and loss statement and says, you will work on this today. YEP! They just threw me RIGHT IN the frying pan to sizzle and BURN. They kept saying, the only way to learn this is if you just do it. You won't remember anything we tell you unless you try doing it yourself and then ask questions. So I started doing it and it is hard and confusing and I feel like an idiot and ask many questions many of them the same ones over again and I just was really stressed. Then they gave me another tax return. Oh yeah, and these aren't just like individuals tax returns, I know a lot of you probably don't even know some of the lingo but my first tax return I was doing was an S-CORPORATION. I just was really stressed. Then I came home and when Clay got home I ran to the bed and stuffed my head in the matress and said, "I don't want to be busy anymore", and started bawling. I'm not saying this to make you feel bad for me. I'm just being honest. You all think I'm so amazing for some reason, but the truth is, I feel sooooo not smart and not fast. I cried to Clay and then Mom called and I cried to her. Then this morning when I was getting ready, the wind was blowing REALLY REALLY hard outside. Well, I of course am a little nervous. Then Patty called and said that Paul's coworkers drive the same road I drive and they said that the roads were HORRIBLE. White-outs everywhere. I think to myself, "what's a white out?" I don't ask though because I already understand that it just isn't something I want to be in, even if I don't know what it is. She said that roads were closing and I should be really careful and leave early. Well, of course. I start crying and crying. Clay came out because he was sleeping but he could hear me and I told him and we decided I'd just go slow. Well I think Heavenly Father just blessed me or something because the wind really wasn't that bad, but I now understand the term: "white out". My goodness. Just imagine driving around 60mph and all of a sudden not being able to see a thing. It came SO suddenly. It happened probably 3 times just quickly. I was just driving and all was normal and then suddenly everything is white and you can't quite see the road or anything infront of you either. I was fine, it was just really tense and scary. Well, I got there fine and safely. Today was better. I just kept asking the same questions and Kent(he is like the head guy there I think) and Jamie kept saying, "calm down, we aren't expecting you to know what you're doing...you've only been here a day!" Those types of things. I just keep feeling like I'm going too slow or I'm just an idiot for asking certain questions. They talk really fast and I just can't always keep up. UGH. But, it was better and I didn't come home crying. Really it is just stressful and I have decided that I am definitely not a working . Some of you may judge that, but I tell you- I am not cut out for it. I come home and am exhausted. Do you realize I am away 10 hours a day? I work 8-5, which is 9 hours with a 1 hour lunch break, and drive over 30 minutes there and back. It stinks. I am so tired and don't feel like doing ANYTHING. I it. Thank goodness I was able to get our dishes done today. I don't know how some people do what they do. I just wish I could stay home and clean, cook, read, BAKE, and maybe a little sewing. The good news is, the days go by pretty fast. I think it will just keep getting that way the busier I get. The wierd part is, they literally put me straight to work without really giving me any office rules, employee tax forms, dress code...all they told me was to keep track of my hours and to take a lunch from 12-1. I to complain but I just wish I didn't have to do an internship. I don't want to work and I just want to graduate and I am already sick of my job after 2 days! Who knows, maybe it will get better...but I just can't see that happening. I have no idea when I'm going to get over this learning curve and start GETTING things. I'm just sick of staring at the same thing on my computer for like 3 hours not understanding what I'm doing! Asking, getting a vague answer, and still not getting it! And they keep telling me that if 50 different accountants were given the same return to do they'd get 50 different answers. Whatever. It also doesn't help that one of the programs on my computer that they say I ALWAYS need to have up, DOESN'T WORK! They think it will work by tomorrow. Ugh. I am so negative. I just keep trying to tell myself that this is only 3 months long, and even if I'm the worst intern ever, that's OKAY. I'll still live on and have a good life. I just feel like I'm never going to get the hang of it.

On a lighter note. Let me tell you a little story! We went to a friends reception the other night and sat by this older lady and her husband. Well, she started talking to us and asked where I was from and I said from the Oregon Coast. She says she's been everywhere so where exactly am I from. I told her, Yachats. She says, "Really!? My brother lives there and we've been visiting him for nearly 20 years! That's a lovely place!" So we talk about the branch and the add-on to the building and so forth. We chatted about some other things as well. Well, yesterday I was at Clay's parents house and Patty said, "that lady you sat by at the reception, remember? Well you must've given a good impression. She left this for you, I don't know what's in it"...so I opened it and it was an anniversary card. Well, she said that she was glad to hear I was from Yachats and that Clay was always in her prayers while he was on his mission even though she didn't know him....'i figured you'd have an anniversary coming up and it's always nice to get a late wedding gift' there was a check for $50.00! Can you believe that! I told patty, "Well geez, I'm sure glad we decided to sit by her that night!" ha! I'm way happy. Who knows what I'll spend it on!

One bit of good news. I decided I'm going to go to Clay's parents house everyday for lunch since I have an hour. I definitely think it'd be good to get out of the office for an hour and I think it makes the day go by faster. Anyway, I realized today that Gilmore s is on ABCFamily from 12-1! My exact lunch break! How blessed am I?!?! Way blessed. Today was the first episode of the 3rd season...possibly my favorite season! How lovely. Also, how sad. I still get excited to watch gilmore s reruns, on TV after I've seen them all 500 times. I really don't know how many times i've seen each season. MANY times. I know that much. They never get old. They just keep makin me feel good:)

Well........that'll be all I guess. I just figured some of you might be wondering how my internship is going since I have been talking of it nonstop these days. I hope it gets better...it probably will. Another intern is coming next week. If she doesn't know a lot, good...I will feel better about myself. If she knows a lot, good as well...I can ask her lots of questions without feeling as stupid. Alright, love you all. Buh bye.

La de da!

Well today is the last friday I'll have off until after...April 15th! Right now I am feeling VERY okay with that. After reading book after book and not having a job, school, baby, or really much of anything to keep me busy...I am SO ready to be busy! I start my internship on monday, and I have decided I am WAY excited. I think Heavenly Father has blessed me with comfort. You know how I was freaking out major? Well I decided to fast for comfort and faith, and I've been reading some ensign articles that have definitely strengthened me and I definitely KNOW that as long as I'm praying and reading my scriptures, the internship will go great! I am so excited. I can't quite decide what to wear the first day. I think I will go plain. White button up and black pants. I just want to see what everyone else is wearing. That is a safe outfit. I don't want to overdress or underdress, you know? I think that since I will be commuting 30 minutes there and back everyday I will start checking out books on tape/cd. I am really excited about that too!

Well, today when I took Clay his lunch he said, "Don't cook dinner tonight". I smile and say, "Why?" He said, "I'm taking you out tonight." Can I tell you that I am SO EXCITED! He wont tell me where we are going or what we are doing but he said don't get too excited (of course) so that I'm not let down. I'd be happy just going to taco bell. This is just fun because it totally reminded me of dating days. Clay used to ALWAYS call and be like, "I'll be there in 10 minutes, be ready to go". I'd have no idea what we're doing but he always took charge and was just a lovely gentleman! That was however, when we were dating and all of his money was disposable. Now that we don't exactly have TONS of money, he can't just surprise me with random dates all the time. We barely ever go out. We spend TONS of time together watching movies and stuff at home, but we barely ever go out. So when we do, I love it.

Okay. I think there is something seriously wrong with me. Or my nose. Or both. You have heard me complain about smelling onions. Well guess what, there are no onions in my apartment whatsoever and there haven't been for a while and I still smell onions randomly! UGH. I am so sick of it. I know there are worse things in life than smelling onions all the time when they aren't really there, but I just don't get it. Clay never smells them! What's wrong with me?!?!!!

I am currently listening to Michael Jackson. I was thinking as I was dancing around my apartment and enjoying myself very much how sad it is that all these talented performers turned out to be nut jobs. I really wish that people could be so successful without ruining their lives.

I have decided I really enjoy my George Forman Grill. Someone gave us one for our wedding, it is just a little one. I've been using it the past few weeks for random stuff. It's great! It is so easy and works great. Do you any of you use one? I haven't really heard any of my family using one.

We just finished watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I LOVE THOSE MOVIES! If you guys haven't seen the extended versions, you should. I think they are better, so does Clay. Seriously, those movies were well made. Not to mention the books of course were amazingly written. I haven't read them. I tried to read them once in my life and got a quarter of the way through the fellowship of the ring and stopped. It's not the easiest thing to read in my opinion.

So I recently purchased a "10 minutes solution" dvd. It's a workout dvd that has 10 minute workouts. Well, it's not just workout, it is a FAT BLASTING dance mix! I've done it twice so far. Today I did it, and I loved it! You may be thinking "10 minutes? Like that does anything" well let me tell you by the end of those 10 minutes, I am DYING. She works you good. I figure after I'm in better shape I will probably work up to 2 at a time, making it 20 minutes. I loved the second one I did so much that I've already been doing it by myself to music that I'm listening to...but then I start breathing really hard and figure I better stop before I get all sweaty. I highly recommend it! She goes pretty fast though...it took me a bit to figure out the moves and someone who isn't very into dancing would probably have a hard time with it.

Lastly, I am getting a Dance Dance Revolution for my birthday! YAY! I am getting it for the Wii so it will probably be a little different than Megan's. I am way excited though. Clay found an amazing deal online and we decided to snatch it up and it'd be my birthday present! I am way excited. I will dance my way towards a fit hott bod with this workout dvd and dance game! (we'll see...)

I think that's it. I wrote a lot. Sorry. By the way, Happy Birthday Lizzie! I already called her, but I just figured it'd be weird for me to not say Happy Birthday on my post if it is her birthday. You know? Love you all!

Church CANCELLED and my luck

Well, I just thought I'd update ya'll a bit. Not like I don't all the time, and probably too much!

First on the subject line. February 3, all church in Rexburg is CANCELLED! HA! Why? Well because that is the day the Rexburg temple will be dedicated! Our church will be going to the Hinckley Building (a building on campus) to watch the dedication. It is so intense that each recommend and ticket will be specified for a certain building and time. If you have a ticket for somewhere else, they wont let you in. I'm pretty excited about it. Not to mention I am SO excited to have a temple about 3-4 minutes away from me open for me to go to all the time in a month! I signed up to work at the open house on wednesday at 6:30am to 9:30 am. Pretty early hours, but I figured I've been relaxing enough, I can have an amazing experience instead of sleep. Odds are I'll be showing cars where to go. ha, not really, they only let men do that I think. But I will either be handing out cookies, giving people booties to put on their shoes, ushering people from the stake center to the shuttles, or (please let it be this one) ushering people different directions IN THE TEMPLE! I haven't been through it yet, Patty got us tickets for sometime in the next couple weeks. I am so excited. It is seriously, SO BEAUTIFUL. We are so blessed.

Now, after I buttered you up with lovely talk. My luck stinks lately! I was sick...I expected it to last long because it ALWAYS lasts long. WELL, just as it was about over I wake up with a soar throat, and snot in my THROAT! Also, a little weak. WELLLLLLLLLLL, how lovely. I now am constantly blowing my nose with no results because snot comes out, but let me tell you, there is a never ending supply up there. I could keep blowing, and blowing, and blowing and BLOWING. And then of course, I only feel at peace if I hock(sp) a loogie. It is the worst experience though. I try, it partly comes, then I cough, gag, try to hock again, cough, gag, a few more times and it finally comes spitting out of my mouth...(are all of you coughing and gagging now from reading this?...sorry) Well let me tell you, I THE PROCESS! jdfak;sjfkadjsf;lajsdf;lkad I am so annoyed. The REALLY annoying thing is- I spent a week without chocolate, and THAT is when I got sick again!!! You would think that I would get fully better from having such a great diet. NO WAY! blah.

One more thing that has just been wonderful in my life. It seems that ever faucet in our apartement, unless you have MONDO STRENGTH...leaks. It's like we live in a rain forest. Drip...drip...drip... everywhere you go. Kitchen, bathroom, and then in the living room, there's the fish tank! Clay is very strong, but still...faucets leak. I guess things could be worse. And at least WE don't pay for water. At least our apartment is TOO WARM instead of too cold. A least our windows are old enough so that they let ice cold breezes through the so we have some fresh air no matter what. I just like to think to myself that we will look back when we are living in an actual house, and think...oh man, can you believe we lived in that place? And we can teach our children about the good use of money. As always, my comeback to all of these lovely flaws in our apartment is...THE PRICE IS RIGHT. Really, we do love it. It is just right for the two of us. And these little quirks are way easy to live in. PLUS- in exactly a week, I will no longer be in this place 24-7. Lately I've been in our apartment enough to notice every foul thing.

Yes. A week from now I will be in Idaho Falls at Crandall and Oseen doing SOMEthing. Probably being trained on some sort of thing because I will only have been there an hour and a half. I am in that mix of nervousness and excitement. I just wish it would get here. It's mostly anxiety.

K. If you guys made it through my really exciting description of my life, good for you. I love you all! I hope you guys don't think I'm becoming a negative person. Sometimes I just need to get these feelings out.

Oh by the way, I love my quilt. I've been cuddling with it the past few days. It is SOOOO not perfect, but I think I like it that way.

Read the post before this if you haven't.

Walmart shoes win. When I went to bed last night I just KNEW I had to take back the payless shoes. They hurt my feet and I love the Walmart ones better! So there you go. I know whenever picking out outfits and shoes, I'd ALWAYS pick the Walmart ones because I like them better and they are more comfy. Just thought I'd update ya! Love you all! Sorry for my silliness. ha.

YES! NEW SHOES!

Okay, I am obsessed with shoes. There are just too many amazing pairs! I HAVE been needing new black shoes for work. I guess maybe not needed, I have some black shoes but I really really WANTED new ones. I am sick of the other ones. SO. I went to Payless and saw these shoes for 14.99. The picture doesn't do them justice. They really are just so cute. The weird thing is, I always wear 8-8 1/2. Guess what size these shoes are that fit me? SIZE 7! Is that crazy? I don't get it. They definitely scrunch my toes a bit, but ever size above that make my foot fall out everytime I walk. Doesn't that mean it's too big? Besides, most heels scrunch up your toes...right? Anyway, here are my PAYLESS shoes:

I love 'em! Clay loves them too. Okay, so I go to walmart to see if there are any better black shoes- WELL, to what do my wandering eyes do appear but a perfect black shoe at 14.94.



WOW. Okay, I put these shoes on and I feel so stylish. I also feel like I should be swing dancing! All in all I LOVE THESE SHOES! I ask Clay- which one should I get? He loves them both, I LOVE them both, WHAT DO WE DO?!?!!?! I say that I'll get them both and take one back in the morning. Well, I can't do it. I must have them both. Is that crazy? It basically means I just can't buy anything fun next month...teehehehe. I barely ever do this kind of thing, but I really just couldn't give up this opportunity. There wasn't ONE other pair of these shoes at walmart- we looked! And the payless shoes were running low. Basically, it was now or never.

So exciting.

Okay, so I started this book called "Tending Roses" by Lisa Wingate. Well anyway, I am barely into it, but the first paragraph was just lovely in my opinion, I HAD to share.

"Indian wisdom says our lives are rivers. We are born somewhere small and quiet and we move toward a place we cannot see, but only imagine. Along our journey, people and events flow into us, and we are created of everywhere and everyone we have passed. Each event, each person, changes us in some way. Even in times of drought we are still moving and growing, but it is during seasons of rain that we expand the most- when water flows from all directions, sweeping at terrifying speed, chasing against rocks, spilling over boundaries. These are painful times, but they enable us to carry burdens we could never have though possible."

I just thought that was nice. I always need to be reminded of that. It's the STRUGGLES that create us and make us grow into strong people. If we didn't have trials and struggles, we would be weak. Right? Yes.

Well, that's it. Talk to you later.

Happy New Years!!!

Well, I am going to put some pictures of Christmas that I never put up and some New Years Eve Bowling!

First Christmas Eve.

Me and Clay in our Santa Hats.

Makayla and Paul

A picture of me infront of the background lights. It doesn't do it justice. Paul put up a lot of fun Christmas decor outside their house. We were just trying to show a bit of it.

Clay playing Guitar Hero-HE LOVED THIS! He was way good at it too. We unfortunately have to give it back to our friends today. Sad. We hope to own it someday. -By the way Lizzie, Clay says he thinks the one you saw is called "Rock Band" or something. This one that we played is only for guitars. It sounds way fun with drums though!

This is the new dress Clay bought me from DownEastOutfitters. SO CUTE! I love it. And I just got some footless tights at Walmart (SUPERwal) that are black with lace at the bottom that I think will look GREAT with this dress!

BOWL-ERO! That is where we went. Here is a pic of me and Clay just hangin out.

Here's a good pic of Patty. It is hard to get a natural smile out of her in a picture. She was setting the game up on the computer and talking about who knows what!

Here is Clay obviously not wanting his picture taken...silly boy...

Now for all the bowling!
Are you thinking-" does she have a wedgy?" Well, I'm afraid it looks like that. Oh dear.

Here's a video of Clay bowling. I feel bad that the video is of this specific turn because seriously, he did awesome. He had a wicked curve that he used to his benefit and got a LOT of strikes.

Here's a video of me. I STUNK IT UP! The first game I seriously gutter balled every turn on my first turn. I didn't make it past 100. Second game I did, after Clay gave me some good pointers. Sorry it's all weird. I don't think Clay was thinking of the blog standpoint when videoing.

Here is my finished Quilt. Trust me, it is no professional piece of work. I don't even know what I'm doing. I like it though!

Just to update on the bowling. It was a major battle between Paul and Clay. They were both way good. I have never seen the pins fly so hard against the back of the thing as I did when Paul bowled. HE IT THEM HARD! As I said, I stunk big time. Paul ended up winning most the time I think. We stayed up and played Hand and Foot (it's a card game) and drank some Pomegranate sparkling juice. It was weird. That's pretty much it! Love you all! Have a happy new year!