Birthday Weekend and Unlucky 21

I remembered to take the camera with us on all our adventures but forgot to use it so this will be kind of boring. Friday My mom and Josh had a big yard sale and then she made my favorite dinner and cake. Saturday her and I got up early and went to St. George for the day. We went shopping and got some cute summer clothes and an outfit for graduation and my interview for hygiene school. Then we went out to lunch and to costco and after that we both got hour long massages. We came back to cedar and were going to get our nails done but decided we will wait until this week so they will look good for graduation. We went out to eat at brad's for dinner and then her and my dad bought me this super yummy German chocolate cake from the lady who made our wedding cake. They lit the candles and sang happy birthday and then my mom and I worked on some craft projects for my interior design final. Then sunday morning (my real birthday) Josh brought me breakfast in bed and we just spent some quality time together. Then we got ready and packed for Mesquite. We drove down and thats when the bad luck began. I put some money in a slot machine and lost it all, put some money down on red and lost that too, played bingo 3 times and got really close but never won. I was seriously bummed and sick that I had just lost all that money! And to top it all off, while I was playin my $5 from the virgin river rewards card, my flip flop broke and they were the only shoes I had. We were right next to the gift shop so we went in and there were only some ugly green ones for $15! I was very depressed and cried most of the night. Luckily I have a wonderful husband who was super patient and sweet. My parents came and had dinner with us there and then we went to the liquor store and bought some grenadine(fruity flavoring for Shirley Temples, our favorite!). We stayed at the Eureka hotel and the room was really nice. We had fun spending the whole day together. Being 21 isn't all it was cracked up to be!



Me and My mama at the end of a long and very fun day!


My beautiful and delicious birthday cake. Thanks Mom and Dad, and Thanks Liz for making it!

Graduation Surprise!

I received a letter in the mail from SUU today. It says " we are extremely proud of your academic success and are pleased to announce that you will be designated as graduating with honors at the Southern Utah University Commencement on May 2, 2009. In recognition of your academic excellence, the university will provide you with a medallion. The medallion is to be worn around your neck with your commencement gown so that those attending the ceremony will recognize your outstanding achievement." I am pretty excited, I wasn't really expecting anything so it was kind of a shock. I am so happy to be finishing up and to have this behind me. I'm working on applying for hygiene school right now. I got the application in the mail and got my personal statement written and am working on getting all the letters I need. I think its coming together really well and I have a good feeling about it. I'm looking forward to my interview and hearing back. There are 30 spots so I'm counting on one of those seats! Thanks to all our friends and family and all your love and support as we have been working to achieve our goals. We love you all and are looking forward to seeing you in a couple weeks!

"Faith in God includes Faith in His Timing" -Neil A. Maxwell

We spend the weekend dreaming of the house we found in California. Our real estate agents got us pictures and we showed our families and envisioned all the things we could do to fix it up. We prayed and prayed and could just hear them telling us we got it....
Today they called and said we didn't, but we are the back up offer so if anything falls through with these people, we got it. So there is still hope but we are definately bummed :( I had just called to give my parents the news and was talking to my mother in law stephanie while I thumbed through the Desert Book ad. I found a page of cute quote stuff (my weakness ) and found the best quote by Neil A. Maxwell, "Faith in God Includes Faith in His Timing". What a perfect lesson for that moment. I needed to remember that and know that God has a plan for us. We are so blessed and have been give so much thus far and we know that things willl work out. They always do. The lord is still trying to teach me patience. Keep praying for us. If this house doesn't work out I'm sure there is something better out there. Anyway, Just wanted to share that with you all. Hopefully you were as touched by that thought as we were. Love ya!

Jazz Game!!!!

We had the opportunity to go to the Jazz vs Golden state game yesterday with Danica and Derek. Danica's little sister's dance group was dancing before the game and we got a good deal on seats. We got there at 5:30 and were able to watch the players warm up. Then we got to sit court side and watch them dance. While we were waiting we walked over behind the basket and Ronnie Brewer was signing autographs. We had bought jerseys before the game and Josh had his. So he took it off and was waving it around and Brewer saw him and was like "hey, do you want me to sign that?" so josh tossed it to him and he signed it on the number! There were so many people and we weren't really close so we didn't think we would get it but we did! What a nice guy! so then after the girls danced, they met 2 of the Jazz dancers and then we were all walking to the elevator to go up to the nosebleed section and someone said "Hey look its president Monson!" So we all turned and ran back and low and behold there he was in the flesh close enough to touch! Josh said "President Monson, We are graduating from SUU this month!" and he said in his usual manner "Oh I'm going to be down there" and Josh patted him on the back and I said "we will see you there!" hahah I was in shock and couldn't come up with anything better to say. Everyone got off the elevator to talk to him and then when he got in no one got back on we were all just too astonished. It was pretty amazing I can't even describe how cool it was. SO then the jazz lost and were totally disappointing and just walked off the court with 10 seconds left! what losers! But after the game we were waiting for Shannon to find her shoes and we saw Thurl Bailey and Pace Manning doin the post game show. The producer told josh and derek and a bunch of other people to go in and they got to be on TV! Josh was all decked out with his jersey and head band and stuff. He was the loudest one! So then we were just hangin around watchin them and during the commercial break Thurl waved us over and we got to shake his massive hand! I was so retarded I just had this cheesy grin on my face and shook his hand but couldn't say a word! Derek found out he was related to Pace. so they were all talking sports and family and what not! it was unbelieveable. Then when we were walking back to the hotel, Matt Harpring came flyin around the corner and almost hit us in the cross walk! and as we started walking another Jazz player pulled out and gave us 2 beeps! Josh swears it was Ronnie Brewer so we will just say it was. It was pretty much the most amazing day ever! We had such a great time!

Here are some pictures, not really in order but bare with me here... it's taken 3 days to post this haha

Danica and Derek and here cutie pie little brother Dane


So stoked for the Game in our sweet new jerseys


Paul Millsap and Brevan Knight warming up


Kyle Korver warming up....mmmhmmm


Jazz vs. Golden State


Shannon and Dance Magic showin off their moves


PRESIDENT MONSON!!!! YEAH THAT PART WAS FOR REAL!


The backs of our sweet jerseys...Before!


AFTER!!


Me watchin the boys warm up! How cool


Joshy on cloud 9. Can you tell he was excited?

Ronnie Brewer signing Josh's jersey!


that guy, Pace Manning and Thurl Bailey!

Totally bummed that the Jazz got whooped at home :(

Josh and Derek right before they were on TV! Joey Decker is the cute one in front # 47 it was his 16th birthday! He is so funny!

Update

We went to California last weekend for some job interviews at BUCKLE and we heard back this week that we didn't get them :( but while we were there we started the paperwork for a lease at these really nice apartments across from the mall we were going to work at. They are really close to my school and it was in a good location so it was convenient for josh to go to school to. They are called luxury apartments and they really were so nice. They had all the appliances including a dishwasher and a washer and dryer so that was exciting. They had a big pool and a nice gym and they were gated. Our apartment was a really cool floor plan and has a garage. It also had a view of the pool and the mountains. So we were stoked that it was available (it was the only one they had left and 3 other people came in wanting it while we were signing papers...pretty darn lucky)
Then when we got home we got an email from a real estate agent about the most perfect little house. It has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a 2 car garage, and its 1300 sq ft. It was built in 63 and there haven't been any improvements since then but its only 130,000 and that is the cheapest thing we have found that isn't a trailer or an empty lot. We were pre-approved for a loan and then submitted an offer that was 5,000 over asking price and showed proof of $20,000 down. there were so many offers already with in the first day that they are closing it today at noon. Our agents said that since we have such a big down payment and are offering over asking that even if someone else offers more or the same, we would still get it because of the down payment. So everyone keep your fingers crossed and pray really hard for us that we will get it. We need all the positive energy we can get!! We will keep you updated and let you know what happened.

New Couches (almost)

When we moved into our apartment my sweet grandma decided that she would give us her old couches so that she could get some new ones that went with her decorations better. The couches were still like new because it was just her at home. They are really comfy and in great shape but they were white with splashes of color and looked really dated and then they got these balls and josh would pick at them and toss them on to our dark blue carpet so it looked like the floor had lice or something. We couldn't afford to get new couches so we looked around and found a good deal on couch covers. They are a brown microfiber stretch kind and they fit really well. It changed the whole room and they are really comfy and nice. We are so excited. We are pretty happy about our investment and it saved us a bunch of money.




we were so excited to put them on we forgot to take before and after pictures so just take our word for it that they were ugly!

Pine Wood Derby!

The scouts usually are the ones who have pine wood derbies but their dads and brothers and uncles usually take over and do all the work anyway so in our ward the Elder's Quorum decided to have their own. Josh and Derek have been working on it for a few weeks making it perfect. Josh made a really long dragster and a little cool one. He had a lot of fun but didn't do so hot. He pretty much got worked. He took 8th out of 10 the first go round and then 10th the last time. oh well. He had a great time and Josh is so easy going that He didn't mind.


Josh with his two sweet cars


Josh and Taylor gettin ready to race!


Josh's car winning one race against the BYU car. (no wonder huh!)


He won the Best design award for the "limo" (thats what everyone was callin it)


Isn't it a beauty?

Rachel's Birthday Cake!

This week was our very favorite teacher's birthday (RACHEL S). I made a sheet cake using my aunt Cookie's yummy recipe and then Josh and his buddy JD decorated it. Rachel is a really outdoorsy kind of person and she loves mountain biking so they decided to draw a bike on it. They actually did a really good job. She loved it! And it tasted amazing if I do say so myself.