Job Hunt...

So things have been a little stressful lately. Randall started school a couple weeks ago, and I have just been sitting around trying to find a job. It has been really hard trying to find one, especially with so many people looking. It makes it a little harder for me too because with my degrees, some places are required to pay me more, which definitely does not help when there are so many others trying to find a job that they can pay less. I was starting to get really nervous because it had already been almost three weeks with no luck of finding a job. I was starting to look at jobs in Idaho Falls, which would have been quite a commute.

Finally on Friday.... I got a job! I am especially lucky because it is exactly what I wanted. I am going to be an ESL aide at the elementary school that Randall went to as a child, and I start tomorrow! I am so excited that I going to be working with kids. It is truly a blessing to get the job you want in the career path that you want.

Christmas in our new apartment!!!

We finally got our own apartment! We moved to Rexburg just a couple days after I graduated. It took us almost a week getting settled in. It surprised us how much stuff we had, we eventually had to get rid of some stuff and kept just our favorites, our apartment is VERY small. I am so glad that we were able to spend our first Christmas in our own place. We were even able to get a real tree, although it took up almost our whole living room. It was so pretty though! I love Christmas, I wish we could have kept the decorations up a little longer. Because we did not move in until the 22^nd, we only got about a week of decorations. But a week is better than nothing. We have decided that next year, we are going to put up our decorations really early!

Out apartment! and stuff...

our amazing tree :)

our seating... (we had no couch yet..)

Christmas play....

This Christmas season has been eventful to say the least. Randall and I were called to put on the ward Christmas party in my homeward. Randall designed the program and I got to design the costumes and do decorations. It was interesting experience, but so much fun at the same time. It did not go as planned but still turned out wonderful. It seemed a really big hit with the parents and all those who watched...

some of the costumes...

GRADUATION!!!

So the day finally came, I have officially... GRADUATED! I now have a Bachelors of Science in Psychology, and an Associates of Science in Elementary Education.

The day of graduation was an amazing day, although, it was an early one. Graduation started at ten in the morning and lasted hours... I was really surprised by how many people graduated off track.

I was super lucky to have all my immediate family make it to my graduation, not to mention Randall's parents were able drive over as well. I am so grateful that I have an amazing family that supports me and has helped me through all these years. It was a struggle and there were some tough times, but it was also some of the best years of my life.

Randall's parents...

My amazing grandparents!

All my wonderful sisters...

My mom and dad...

My other mom and dad...

My diploma... YAY!!!

My mom and I :)

Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we spent it with my family in Boise, and then the next day we drove up to Saint Anthony to visit his family. Thanksgiving was pretty relaxing, as relaxing as Thanksgiving can be, hahaha. We ate so much delicious food over those few days, I do not think we have anything as good since! It was really a blessing though, to be able to see both of our families over those few days. This time of year, when you get to see almost all your family, get to catch up on what has been happening and laughing with everyone, really makes you appreciate what a blessing this time of year is…

My grandma and my two uncles

Fall...

This fall season was interesting for us, lots of new experiences.  While living in Boise, so I could finish up my schooling, we lived with my grandparents.  We decided that it would be easier than trying to find an apartment for only a few months.  We did not really have the opportunity to call anything our own, but still enjoyed it none the less!  It was pretty stressful with both of us working, Randall working two jobs, and I working while going to school.  Randall was working ACHD and home health, and I was a nanny.  I absolutely loved my job!  The fall season flew by, Halloween was my favorite part.  We never got the chance to carve pumpkins, but we did get to dress up!

Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf!

Hitched!

We got married on July 30, 2011 in the Idaho Falls, Idaho Temple.  It was the most amazing day of my life… It was definitely a lot of work but we had so much help from our families that it made the day seem a lot easier.  The day seemed to flow by, so many people there, and so much to do.

We did not get to take a honeymoon but got to spend that night and the next day at Eagle Ridge Ranch, in Island Park.  Sadly we forgot our cameras and so we did not get to take any pictures, but I am hoping that next summer we will be able to go back there and take some pictures of where we stayed.

I wish that I had written down everything that happened that on our wedding day, or could somehow remember every detail…  I remember feeling so nervous and excited.  We were so grateful though, for all the family and friends that got to come share our special day with us…

The whole family!!!

The boys...

The girls...

Some of my favorites...

ENGAGED!!!

Luckily Randall and I did not have to keep having a long distance relationship.  He moved to Boise in May after he finished his semester at BYUI.  We hung out almost every day, we were pretty much inseparable.  On May 19th when neither of us had to work, we went for a ride up in the Owyhee Mountains outside of Marsing.  We hiked the hills, had a picnic, flew kites, played an army man war, and then he sang to me in front of a camp fire.  When it got cold we snuggled up in a blanket in the back of his truck and watched the stars.  Soon it started to get really windy and cold, so I thought that we were getting ready to leave…  But next thing I know, Randall is in front of me with a lantern and asking me if I will marry him!  All I could say was… “You are so sneaky!”  Haha I was so surprised.  Finally after the second time he asked…. I said YES!

My ladybug kite that Randall got me : )

The beautiful hills that we hiked...

My favorite... the army man war... that I won!

A Smile to True Love...

I have not always been the best at remembering to write in my journal, or updating my family and friends on what is going on in my life, so I have decided that maybe a blog is a good idea!  I really want this blog to be centered not only on what I am doing in my life, but what is happening with my husband and me.  So, I figure I should start with how Randall and I met, and then everything that has happened between now and then…

This may come as a shock to some, but Randall and I met on the internet… Yes, I know it may seem strange to some, but it worked for us!  It was actually through ldssingles.com.  One day I saw that this guy with an adorably cute smile had viewed my profile.  I was not paying for the dating service so at that time the only thing I could do was send him a smiley face, so that is exactly what I did.  Next thing I knew he had written me a message and I could not read it.  I like to tease Randall about this part, because I had to pay sixteen dollars to read his message!  But it sure is a good thing I paid the money.  After that first message we wrote each other every day and after about a month we met for the first time… I was so nervous I could barely look him in the eye.  We continued to visit each other over the next few months and talked as much as we could.  Although, I think we both knew we were in love before we had ever met…

This is where we had our first date... at Donnie Mac's

This is from one of my visits to see him...