Surprise!

Sometimes I find myself, as I'm sure many of you do, talking to my coworkers or family or friends about Josh only when he's done something wrong, or when I'm complaining. I do realize on a daily basis how awesome Josh is, I promise, and I had to give him credit now, because he scored some pretty serious points this weekend.


First, I have a somewhat embarrassing confession, which most of you probably already know anyway. I had a small obsession with the Twilight series-not so much the movie, but definitely the book. And when the movie came out, before seeing any of it, I knew that I would like anything that had any resemblance of the book, even if they completely slaughtered the book. I know, embarrassing, but I realized a long time ago, and have accepted that there will always be a part of me that is a 17 year old girl that loves Dawson's Creek, NSYNC, and black finger nail polish.


Well, the movie came out this weekend, and my birthday is Sunday the 29th. I told Josh that if he wanted to get the movie for my birthday, he could, but he had to give it to me the 21st, because I couldn't wait any longer than that. If he didn't want to go out and buy it the day it came out, I would buy it myself, but then he couldn't count it as one of my birthday presents. Make sense? I know I sound really picky, but I promise if I didn't set guidelines for Josh, he would say that the socks that I bought in January were for my birthday.


So Friday night, Josh and I watched a movie, and I fell asleep. When it was over he went upstairs with me, and when I went to get in bed, he said he was going to check his basketball brackets on the computer. The next morning, he woke me up several times asking if I wanted to go eat breakfast. (I am not a morning person) and finally he broke the last straw at 8:45. I said, "I am going to sleep until 9:00 and I don't see why fifteen minutes is going to make a difference!" So he went downstairs and I slept until 9 as promised. When I went downstairs, there was a Raspberry Texas Coffeecake on the counter. I told him thank you, and I was so relieved that I didn't have to make breakfast. We watched TV for a little bit, and finally, he said, "I can't believe you haven't noticed!" I looked at the TV stand where he was looking, and this was sitting on top of it.

I was so excited and thought that he pre-ordered, and it was just delivered that morning, but no. He went out at midnight and bought it on Friday night, along with the coffee cake. He even left some clothes downstairs, so that I wouldn't wake up when he was changing while I was sleeping. To make it even better, he was even willing to watch it with me that night! I have the best husband in the whole world.

Weekend Trip

Since we've been feeling the winter blues for quite awhile, Josh and I decided to take a short trip to Vegas. We went to a time share presentation about a year ago, and going to Vegas was part of our reward. I have to say, I really hate time share presentations. Josh thinks they are great, but I hate them. However, I have to say that we made out pretty well this time. We figured that if we hadn't gone shopping, we would have actually made money on the trip! They sent us a check in the mail awhile ago which was more than enough to pay for gas, our hotel was free, and they gave us $150 vouchers for food. If we had had more time, we could've gotten free show tickets too. So, it's always fun to travel for free. Like I said, the trip was very short. We got there about midday on Monday, and left Wednesday morning, but it was nice to get out of the cold for awhile. I thought that our hotel was pretty nice, (especially because it was free.) It's a pretty new hotel that's about 3 miles south of the strip called South Point.
One of the things I was looking forward to the most about the trip was swimming. Sadly, it was warm outside, but not warm enough to heat the pool, so we swam a little in the warm pool on Monday, but this giant pool was freezing cold, and I couldn't talk Josh into trying it out with me.
Like I said, we ate a lot of free food. I told Josh that (sad as it is) this is probably one of the nicest restaurants we've eaten in (it was one of the cheapest we could find in Ex Calibur. It's called Diego, and it's a Mexican restaurant. Josh liked the food, I liked the decor!

Of course, a must, the conservatory in the Bellagio. The flowers were so pretty and I came back with some serious spring fever! (I wore flip flops to work today even though it was like 17 degrees outside!)
We ate at a buffet on Tuesday, that was nicer than the average buffet. By that time, Josh was too stuffed to enjoy too much of the food, but how can you be upset with a buffet that has cotton candy as a desert option!

Besides eating, shopping, and walking around on the strip, we actually did a little bit of gambling (gasp!) but not to worry, we only did because we got vouchers to play some slot machines. At Casino Royale they gave us a hundred dollar voucher, but said that we could only cash it out if we won $4000. We got to $3700 and finally got sick of waiting for the money to disappear. Of course, there was a man sitting next to us who was happy to take our spot. I told Josh that I was more worried that we might win and I would feel guilty spending the money on anything because it's dirty money. Josh said he would have been fine, and put it toward the jeep :). Anyway, it was a good trip, good to get out the cold for a little while and now I am definitely ready for spring!

Update

Life is good. We really have been enjoying life lately even though I haven't blogged anything too exciting for awhile. I kept waiting for some big event that I felt was blog worthy, but if I'm waiting for our next vacation, then I may never blog again. :) First update-for Valentine's Day, I took Josh to a play called Cash on Delivery. I was in the play when I was in high school, so when it was playing at Hale Center Theater in Salt Lake, I thought it would be fun, and I went to enough of Josh's football games, that I figured he owed me at least as much. We went to a matinee with my parents and sister and brother-in-law. The play was really good, and it brought back a lot of good memories, but also made me realize how bad my memory is, because even in a play that I rehearsed how many times, and had to memorize lines with people that I went to school with for 3+ years, I couldn't remember almost anything. Seeing it jarred my memory a little, but wow. Most people can write losing their mind off to pregnancy or old age, but I have neither excuse yet. Anyway, the play was good, and even Josh admitted that he liked it. After that, we went to eat and Winger's because we didn't have reservations anywhere, and there surprisingly wasn't much of a wait at Winger's. Then we went home, made cheesecake, and just basically relaxed which is what we both wanted to do for Valentine's Day.

Second update- A few weeks ago, the long awaited day finally came... This was a day that Josh and I have looked forward to since we got married, and the longer we waited, the more excited we got, and the more we anticipated its arrival. Josh and I have been married for almost three years, and we have never, ever, ever done our laundry in the comfort of our own home. And boy, are we deserving now.

We bought a washer and dryer on black Friday-in November. We were signing our names onto a waiting list, and asked the salesman when we should expect them to come in. He said, "Probably December." Josh and I both hesitated, thinking whether we would be able to wait that long. But decided it was worth. Then when we were at the register, and the same salesman was ringing up our purchase, he leaned over to the guy behind him, and asked, "When are the dryers supposed to be coming in?" That guy said, "Probably February." Josh and I left the store that minute, because we were hesitating waiting until December. And, we thought when we asked originally that "December" meant for both the washer and dryer-a package deal. Honestly, who wants the one without the other? So we home without purchasing a washer and dryer, Josh went to work, and I went back to sleep. (Remember this was black Friday.) Josh called me several times during my nap debating whether we should get them or not, and finally, he made me drive back into Logan, and pay for a washer and dryer that we wouldn't even see until well into the new year. I was frustrated to say the least. You do not want to mess with me when I am short on sleep. So we waited patiently for our purchase to arrive, until about February. Then when we called into the store, they started saying that they may not come in until March! Eh, what's a few more months when you've been waiting years. Luckily, they called and said that an extra set had come in, and since we had been so persistant, they asked if we wanted to come them. We arranged to pick them up, and when we got them home, and Josh started setting them up, he found that the dryer hadn't come with a chord. We knew they were cheap, but seriously, it didn't even come with a plug? We called the store, and found out that that's normal, because there a different chords and different outlets. Silly us! We've never had a dryer before. So after all the waiting, we have been loving doing laundry whenever we want. We're still working out a few kinks. At first, the faucets were leaking like mad, but I think Josh has got that fixed, and when we have the washer on high spin it sounds like a jet engine is about to take off in our apartment, so we put our food storage on top of it, and that's been working well. Oh, the many uses of food storage. So, after all that, I can say, it has been well worth it!

Last update-A couple weeks ago, I got together with some of my friends from high school, which I was SO excited about because I am not very good about staying in touch with people, so even the people that I thought I couldn't live a day without for so many years of my life, I haven't talked to in years. Isn't it crazy how that happens. We always say that we'll stay in touch, but we let life get in the way. It was so fun to catch up with what everyone has been doing, and so great to see how happy everyone is with their lives. Amanda and Dana are on the left, and I've been friends with them since elementary school, and Amy is on the right, and we've been friends since Jr. High. We promised that we'll get together again in like six months rather than six years this time. I love you all!

Other than that, we've pretty much just been living the dream. We work everyday, watch The Office and Biggest Loser, then party all weekend-you know, the usual. Hopefully next blog will be super exciting to make up for all the months that it hasn't been!

Ode to Logan

Well, we haven't posted lately, but sadly, this is the best I can come up with right now. Because sometimes- especially lately, I wonder why out of all the places in the world, Josh and I have chosen to live in Logan. Don't get me wrong, I love Cache Valley, and right now, it's really the only place that I could think of as home, but the longer winter goes on, the more I wonder.



So Josh sent me this email awhile ago-it's similar to Jeff Foxworthy's "You Might Be a Redneck..." but this is
"You Might Live in Utah..."

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September to May, you live in Utah. (It's true! the only one in Cache Valley is currently closed.)
If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you might live in Utah.
If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in Utah.
If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed the wrong number, you live in Utah.
If "vacation" means going anywhere south of Salt Lake City for the weekend, you live in Utah. (Hello! Story of my life!)
If you measure distance in hours, you live in Utah. (I didn't know there was any other way to measure it.)
If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Utah. (Hitting deer is a weekly occurrence in Josh's family!)
If you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" and back again in the same day, you live in Utah.
If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Utah.
If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Utah.
If the speed limit on the highway is 75 mph--you're going 80, and everyone is still passing you, you live in Utah.
If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in Utah.
If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you live in Utah.
If you find 10 degrees "a little chilly" you live in Utah.


And I've added a few of my own "Only in Logan..."
Only in Logan does your car door freeze shut to the point that you have to climb in through the window. (True story, happened to me last week, and it didn't unthaw until like noon.)
Only in Logan is a traffic jam caused by a tractor.
Only in Logan does it take an entire county's police force to issue one speeding ticket.
Only in Logan is an inversion so thick that I can't see 1 foot in front of my car caused by cow manure.
Only in Logan can your nose hairs freeze inside your nose in a matter of seconds.

I will be the first to admit that there are really good things about Logan and Cache Valley too. Sometimes it's just hard to think of them when it is 7 degrees outside, I'm late for work because I'm scraping inches of ice off my windshield, and I'm dreading driving 20 minutes in the FOG!

Snowboarding!

After weeks of begging, Josh finally took me snowboarding. We went snowboarding with Josh's brother Jared, and wife Amy on Saturday, and as always, I loved it. I'm not very good about taking pictures when we're snowboarding, so luckily, my bindings came unscrewed from my board (if you can call that lucky), so most of these pictures were taken while we were fixing them. Yea for snowboarding!

Newest nieces and nephews!

Josh's brother's dog Bella had puppies the Saturday before Christmas, and even though they will probably all be sold soon, we are loving them as much as possible now! How could you not love those faces, seriously? The pictures from left to right are 1) Bella and all her puppies, puppy "Josh", Marley and Me :), Josh and puppy "Josh", and Roxie. Can you tell she loves sleeping on her back?

Spoiled

Well, it's been awhile since we posted, so I have a lot to catch up on, but I'll try to keep it short. On the 13th of December, Josh and I went on a double date with my parents, my mom and I, and Josh and my Dad. My dad works for a printing company that does printing for the Jazz, and as one of their perks, his boss gets second row seats to the Jazz games, and they rotate them throughout the company. My dad has given everyone in my family a turn to go with him. I told Josh that while we were dating, and Josh has been paying his dues ever since. I'm sure he thought that I made the whole thing up so I could reel him in and snatch him before he could get away. So this month Josh finally got his turn. I sat with my mom on like the sixth to the last row, and Josh sat with my dad on the second row. One of the best things about sitting so close is that you get spoiled to the max. They give you a parking voucher right across the street from the Energy Solutions Arena, dinner before the game, and a snack during half time. They played the Orlando Magic and Josh got the opportunity of harrassing the players close enough that they can hear. He even got a shoulder shrug from JJ Reddick when he told him that they were never going to pass the ball to him. Here's a fuzzy picture right in the action of Paul Milsap running past.

Mehmet Okur shooting free throws.

A picture of Kyle Korver's backside. I can almost hear thousands of girls in Utah swooning!

And of course, my favorite, Paul Milsap shooting free throws. I took pictures as well from the top of the stadium, and maybe when I get them from my mom, I will add them. After the game, I said to Josh, "Was it everything you wanted and more?" Josh said, "No, I wanted them to win!" So, yeah, the Jazz don't lose very often on their homecourt, so of course the day that my dad and Josh are within feet of them, they lose. Well I guess you can't have it all.

Now, onto more recent events. Josh and I have been looking to buy a new car for awhile. Since we're living in Wellsville, and Josh works in Ogden, he has been commuting through Sardine Canyon everyday. Anyone who knows anything about Sardine Canyon knows that it can be a bugger during the winter. We decided that if he was going to be making that commute, we would get a new car that would be safe for him. We searched and searched and searched, and finally bought a new car on Saturday.

So OUT WITH THE OLD! (I know many of you were scared that that is our new car.) For those who don't know, Josh had a 1988 Jeep Cherokee. It was a good car, and very reliable for being only three years younger than me. But it was starting to have more and more problems. The breaks were about to go out, the leaf springs made the car bounce like a pogo stick (only when you hit a bump when you were going really fast), and some other minor problems that come with the territory of 20 year old cars.

And IN WITH THE NEW! We haven't taken a picture of it, so this is the best I can do. It's a 2008 Jeep Liberty. We looked into getting a Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, and what seems like a million other cars. But we pretty much just upgraded to a new red jeep. But Josh's favorite thing about the car is that since we bought it from Karl Malone Toyota we got an basketball signed by Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams. Josh thought he was so smart to say that we wouldn't buy the car if we didn't get a ball. It's been a lot of fun so far, and I'm super excited to not feel like I'm taking my life in my hands everytime I get into a car.

So as you can see, we've been pretty spoiled this Christmas. Besides the material things that we've gotten this year, Josh and I had a great Christmas. We both love spending time with family so much, and the holidays are never long enough. This year, I enjoyed the Christmas season even more because this was the first Christmas that I've had at my job. I work for a nonprofit organization that works with family and kids. Since we have no money, we are always accepting donations. As I've gotten older, the Christmas season seems to be getting more and more commercialized and I was so excited this year to have a renewed faith in humanity. I was absolutely amazed at how generous people were with our center. We had some many donations coming everyday that we couldn't keep up on all of them. Anyway, I just wanted everyone to know that I now know that there are still very good people in the world, and people that are looking for ways to help other people.

This next video is one such donation that we received. I'm sorry that I am computer illiterate, and don't know how to rotate the picture, but I promise it worth watching. I need to set the scene though. I went into work on Christmas Eve, and one of the girls that I work with started screaming, "Kaleena is here!" And then I heard more coworkers screaming throughout the hall. I went into my office, and the girl that shares my office with me said, "Josh called and he said that your phone is dead, so he wants you to call him back." Sitting on my desk where my phone usually is was a teddy bear. We made a video to show the bear in action.



If you can't tell from the video, the bear is a phone, and his mouth moves and eyes blink when the person on the other end talks. It's just about the coolest thing I have ever seen, and even though I can't accept incoming calls, it has not left my desk. We found them on-line for anywhere between $100 and $250. Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!