Friday, November 30, 2012

Ending in Gratitude:

November is over. 

What the heck!?!

It went by SO fast!

I'm so happy that i chose to do gratitude blogging this month.
Its pushed me to blog/write in my journal, and 
it also helped me really reflect on my MANY MANY blessings.

So, lets conclude this month of gratitude:

Day 26:

I'm grateful for TEMPLES and the ability to have a temple DOWN THE STREET from me. I'm grateful for our eternal marriage and our future eternal family and the joy that comes from knowing that I'm with my sweetheart...FOREVER. (also, i'm pretty lucky--the Snowflake temple is just 20 minutes away from my cabin as well!)
(Mesa, Arizona Temple)

(Snowflake, Arizona Temple)

(Christmas Lights 2009)

(Christmas Lights 2010)


 (3rd Anniversary 2012)

Day 27:

I'm grateful for Jace's family. I am so much different from them personality wise, and so sometimes I feel out of place, or that I don't necessarily fit in, but they are good people and I love them.





Day 28:

I'm grateful for Arizona and its beautiful weather! I am so blessed to be living here and to have grown up here. I know this ends up being one of people's destination places because of the nice weather (most) of the year. (Yes, the months June-August/September are brutal, but you guys...its 80 degrees today)




Day 29:

I'm grateful for my education. I was blessed enough to go through 4 years of college,
and then blessed to go to cosmetology school.


Day 30:

I'm grateful for kind words, inspiring words, a comforting hug, a knowing smile, 
and a listening ear from all those around me.












Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Christmas Prep

Did you guys participate in Black "Friday" (technically it was black Thursday this year)?? Or how about Cyber Monday?

Gotta be honest... I've NEVER been a black Friday shopper. I like my sleep, i dislike long lines, and crazy people. For real.

So after work Friday afternoon, i had to run errands anyways and went out. BIG MISTAKE. HUGE.

Since we don't have kids (or extra cash just for the heck of it) we really didn't have anything that we NEEDED. (or heck--WANTED.)

But i will say this.

As of today here is my list for Christmas:

Jace: DONE (except for stocking stuffers)
Mom/Dad: (mostly done)
Mom/Pop: DONE
Jen/Ken: DONE
Jeff/Melanie: DONE
Joe: DONE
Grace: DONE
Corbin: (in progress)
Alyssandra: DONE
Jane: DONE
Baby Boy 1: (in progress)
Baby Boy 2: (in progress)

Its a good thing too that I have most of it done. Time keeps slipping away from me it seems.
I blinked and it was Thanksgiving.
How did that happen?!

Now that I have that taken care of, I'm gonna spend the next two days decorating my house, and then I'm going to need to focus on my Relief Society's Christmas Program...
Dec. 6th will be here faster than I can imagine! 

Monday, November 26, 2012

Continuing in Gratitude...

Day 21:

Hot Chocolate, Big Mugs, and Yummy Treats!



Day 22:

Having a fireplace of our own and actually USING it!



Day 23:

Decorating for Christmas!!! with my new Michael Buble CD playing in the background!






Day 24:

Grateful for our beautiful nieces and nephew (SOON to be nephews!)







Day 25:

My wedding ring and the love and commitment that it represents.




Wednesday, November 21, 2012

In my expert opinion...


I've discussed this with MANY people...and its been decided that as a whole, people are divided into
 2 sides:

PEPSI people VS. COKE people.



My family is VERY one way. I grew up drinking Pepsi in my bottles for heavens sake! (thanks dad!)

I've only ever seen Jace's family buy coke for the one brother-in-law...

I've had coke multiple time through my life...

and i tried again today...



and in my expert opinion, I've come to the conclusion...

THAT COKE STINKS! 

its too sweet. 

blah.

I'm gonna stick with my Pepsi. 


Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Grateful for:

Thanksgiving is drawing closer and the end of November will be here before you know it!
Time is moving too fast for me.

Alas, keeping up with my grateful days:

Day 16:
Good friends all through jr. high, high school, and college. (Katie, Troy, and Emily) In this picture its me, 
troy, and Emily while Katie was taking the picture. All three were in my wedding party. I was invited into Emily's and i'm one of Katie's matrons of honor.





Day 17:
I had bad teeth. Not horrible, or gross by any means, but i had multiple things wrong with my smile. My grandpa graciously paid for my 2 years of braces and i'm FOREVER grateful for the beautiful smile i now have.


Day 18:
Jace and I were in charge of Family Home Evening this month for both extended families (Hunts and Wights) We did something different for each family, but focused on our blessings and gratitude for both. 


Day 19:
Ever since i turned 16 my hair has decided it wants to change me into a brunette. I have always been a natural blonde, and i'm grateful for the chemistry and bleach used to help keep me that way as I'm getting older. I'm also grateful to have the money to get my hair done.



Day 20:
I'm grateful for laughter. I'm grateful for fishy faces which produce alot of laughter in my family.


Sunday, November 18, 2012

Why?

Why do the Holiday's not only seem to be able to bring out the ugly in situations, but also seem to create MAJOR stress?

Is it too much to ask to have a stress free Holiday season?

Jace has come to hate Christmas.

I'm ALWAYS super sick---from stress---and then it LINGERS for like 2 months.

I love my family, and i love their traditions.

I married into a family that love their traditions as well.

I have been trying my best every year to make it work where we celebrate equally with our families WHILE trying to create new traditions for me and jace and our future family.

Its chaotic. Its sometimes painful. Its always stressful. And no matter what, SOMEONE is always feeling like they got the short end of the stick.

And I'm sick of it! Any advice for people who live in the same area as both sets of families? How do you make it work?

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Gratitude Dude.

I love the months of November and December.

We reflect and think of what we are blessed with and what we are grateful for...more than normal.

For the most part people are kinder and have more love and service in their hearts. 

Which is totally awesome, dude.
(yes, apparently i'm in the 80's and/or a surfer)

Now, onto days 11-15:

Day 11 just happened to be Veteran's Day. I am so grateful for those who HAVE served, ARE serving, and who WILL serve our country. Thank you for your sacrifice and service, your love and your support!



Day 12:

Technology is awesome. I can chat with friends and family down the road, or in a different state, or make new friends in different countries. It also allows me to not die of boredom at work by providing me access to Hulu and Netflix. Its amazing!



Day 13:

Jace and I both have jobs. And right now, that is very very comforting. I'm so grateful to know that we have a steady income in this VERY uncertain time in ALOT of peoples lives. 




Day 14:

We have PLENTY to eat. We have never wanted for food, or never had the money or opportunity to go grocery shopping. We have a stocked pantry and are working on our year storage. (actually right now we are working on our 72 hour kits...baby steps, right?)



Day 15:

Memories. I'm so grateful for memories. I had my maternal grandparents both die when i was young 
(5 and 8 years old), and an aunt (12 years old) and an uncle (22 years old). I loved them all so much, and so i'm grateful for the memories that i have made of them. This is a necklace that reminds me of one my grandma wore every day.




Friday, November 16, 2012

Its the little things

Its the little things that make you realize how blessed you are.

like finding that $50 you thought you lost. (good thing too, since that's what you were going to use to get your hair re-highlighted and without it, you would just have to suck it up looking lazy and gross)

...or like a husband who brought home donuts and INSISTED they were for you since you had a stressful day (i'm sure they were all JUST FOR ME...yeah right!)

...or how about going on a nice walk outside with your husband and just...talking. without phones, computers, Netflix  or halo to distract us. (can you guess who's distractions are who's?)

...or the fact that even though i'm grumbling about having to work Saturdays AND Mondays now, i HAVE a job.

I am truly blessed and i need to remember that much much more.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

I'm a Mormon




I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

A nickname we've been given is "Mormon" because we have the Book of Mormon that we use with the Holy Bible.

Alot of people don't know what a "Mormon" is...or they have heard horrible-and in most cases UNTRUE things about us. 
(i've met people who were taught that 'Mormons' were devil children and actually had horns and tails)

But you want to know what a "Mormon" really is?
Its someone who believes in and follows Christ's teachings. 
Its someone who loves and serves.

Here is a video, take a few minutes to watch it.

 And if you are interested in learning more go to Mormon.org,  or ask me if you want.

http://mormon.org/me/7RS2/Andrea


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Sleeping Beauty I am NOT

I am no stranger to the difficulties of falling asleep.

The year before I met and married Jace, I struggled MAJORLY with insomnia. 

So bad that I literally COULD NOT sleep. AT ALL. FOR DAYS.

I went to the Dr. and he prescribed sleeping pills...which i did NOT feel good about taking.

So I started taking a little Benadryl at night...i figured people take it every day for allergies, and it always makes me drowsy, so that might be the best and safest option. My Dr. agreed.

So I took Benadryl every night for a year. There were multiple times I tried to sleep without it, but I soon found I was a bit dependent on it.

Then I planned a wedding. And I was so exhausted by the planning, going to school through it, and then the wedding...2 weeks after we were married I was able to start sleeping WITHOUT any "medical aid". 

We've been married for 3 years now...and only very RARELY do i need that extra little push into dreamland.

HOWEVER. 

This last week has turned me into SLEEPING- DEPRIVED- UNBEAUTY. Seriously. I have gotten only  4-5 hours of sleep every night...and I'm still waking up almost every hour. But then on Saturday, I had gotten very little sleep and was up really early, worked like mad cleaning a gross house, and then cleaning my less-gross apartment, and then...miracle of all miracles...i crashed HARD and slept for 10 hours STRAIGHT. I thought that my sleeplessness streak was broken!

False. 

Sunday night i was up every hour again.

So. Last night i turned to my trusty friend...Benadryl. And i slept soundly. All night. 

I'm really hoping that I'm not going to get into a bad pattern that i'll have to break. I just want to sleep. 
Is that too much to ask?!?!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

The Eagle Project

I have ALL brothers.

Which means, I am familiar with the Scouting program.

My little brother's Eagle project has been going on the past 2 weeks. 

He decided to work with a company called "Save the Family". They do alot, but the main thing is that they have about 100 homes that they "give" to homeless families to stay in until they can save enough to get back on their feet. Joe said their motto is "no family left behind" or something like that.

Joe decided that not only was he going to go in and prepare (bomb for bugs, sweep, mop, scrub all tubs/showers/fridge/oven/counters/grout, paint all the walls and trim and base boards, AND shampoo all of the carpets) one of these homes (3 bed, 2 bath, kitchen, and family room), but he was ALSO going to do a food drive and whatever he collected he was going to stock the house with for the family that moved in.

We already had the food drive last week. Today was the BIG working day. We had about 20 men show up and me and my mom's friend and her daughter--my mom and dad were sick. We really lucked out with the young men leaders in my parents ward...alot of the men who came were: contractors, drywallers, professional painters, general handymen, and a man from THE family of scouting (meaning that he had done like 1000 eagle projects and knew just what to do). Joe had 2 friends show up, but the rest of his buddies either had sports practices or work. 

This house was in BAD shape. Like, roach infested-mold growing-dirt/dust everywhere-BAD shape.

Armed with gloves and masks we got in there and tackled it room by room. We had one man and his sons spend the majority of their time scrubbing down the fridge/kitchen. The mother/daughter team did alot in the bathrooms. We had one of the contractors on his knees for literally 2 hours taping and then painting baseboards. Everyone was incredible. It was exhausting work. 

BUT WHOA.

It looks like a completely different house. Its clean. And that is a miracle in and of itself. Seriously. I can't believe the difference. Its amazing what ALOT of elbow grease, a group of people willing to give service, 6.5 hours, and 5 gallons of paint will do. 

I'm proud of Joe for wanting to become an Eagle Scout and I'm proud that hes getting it done! Good Job little brother! (and thank heavens that this is our last eagle project for a LONG while!)