For Cute!

Now that I have a job secured I've been enjoying my time to myself. The other day I checked out a couple of stores I've driven by a bunch, but this time I stopped in and I'm so glad I did. For you fellow Salt Lakers, Abode is a way rad vintage consigment store. I think it's on 9th east and like 17th south ( I think) but you can also check their website www.abodepfm.com. The other place is called Hip & Humble on 9th South and like 10th East. Hip and Humble just has way cute gifts, decor, clothes, etc.

D is for Division of Child and Family Services

I GOT A JOB! I was offered a job Tuesday with the State's Divison of Child and Family Services. I am way excited about it. I know it's gonna be a tough job, but a really great learning experience. Also, I found out it pays more than I originally thought which is also a plus! I start Oct. 1st so I am going to enjoy my last week and a half of freedom!

Bellagio, Pisa, and Cinque Terre

Here are a few pics from our third and final installment of our honeymoon. Seth and I were able to spend a week in Italy. I absolutley loved the view from our balcony in Bellagio, but I also loved the teeny tiny towns of Cinque Terre. We had a great time while we were there but didn't have the most perfect weather, but everything was perfect because we ate gelato every day!

Some Oregon Pics

I still need to post a bunch of pics from our summer. Here's just a couple from the trip. Look how pretty it was!

Cool!

One of the things I loved in Europe was all the way good bread! I thought this thing was kinda cool, a bread vending machine! I've actually missed having good, fresh bread, but I've been able to find a couple of places to get great bread here.

War Sites

One of the days Seth and I were in Belgium, we went around to different WWI sites for a day. It was very moving to see so many headstones at a couple of different cemeteries. About a month before we left on our trip I read a book about the war in Iraq, The Long Road Home. It really made this war and war in general more personal to me. Until now I wasn't affected much by the war, I think mainly because I don't personally know anyone who is serving in the war. Reading The Long Road Home made me realize that there are real live people, who have actual lives at home, with husbands, wives, children, siblings, and parents worrying about them, serving in Iraq.

One thing that struck me hard while reading the names on the headstones at these cemeteries, were how young most soldiers were. They had barely started living their lives! A few months back, I was serving a table of about six young guys at work one day. It turns out five of them were going to Iraq in a week. I was amazed at how young they seemed.

I so admire these young men and women who voluntarily join the military. I hate this stupid war, but I totally look up to every person who is serving there and all the others who are here, but are more than willing to go to Iraq.

This kinda sounds like a bummer post, but it's not supposed to. Props to the troops!

I HEART GREY'S ANATOMY

I didn't see any of the last season of Grey's because I was usually working, but I found out today that season 3 comes out of DVD on Sept. 11th! It's like Christmas! I am so so so EXCITED! I need a more grown-up show to be hooked on because lately I've been watching The Hills on MTV. I can't believe I just admitted that on my blog. Don't judge me, I'm unemployed!

Back to Real Life

Seth and I are back from Europe and are getting adjusted to real life again. Seth started school a couple of weeks ago and has already had a test. He felt like he did well, which he most likely did. This weekend was the equivalent of Christmas for Seth. BYU football had it's first game. A few days before the game I heard Seth talking to his brother Dan saying, "If you think about it, it's like today is December 21st because in four days is the game which feels like Christmas!" Seth came home from the game happy, BYU won.

I've been a tad bored since we've been home. I have stayed somewhat busy getting our condo put together a little bit more. My cousin Amy was in Utah for a week and she painted our kitchen and our bathroom for us. She's really great. Our condo is starting to feel like home now that we're making it ours. However, I haven't really been including Seth on any of the major home decorating decisions. The day before Amy was coming to paint I told Seth that she was coming. Seth: "Amy's coming to paint tomorrow?" Me: "Yep." Seth: "What colors is she painting?" Me: "Oh, yeah, I totally forgot to ask you if you liked the colors!" Good thing Seth really has no opinion about paint colors and I would probably end up talking him into the colors I liked anyway. :) I feel like there's still a lot to do in our place, but it's starting to feel more like home every day.

Happy Birthday Dad!

I realize I'm a day early on wishing my dad a happy birthday, but we will be traveling on his actual birthday. I wish I had a picture of my dad to post too, but that will have to come later.

I seriously have THE BEST DAD in the world,I know that everyone says that about their own dad, but seriously, mine's the best. Other people, non-family members, even tell me how lucky I am to have such a great dad. I am so grateful to have been raised in a home where I knew my dad loved me, my siblings, and my mom, unconditionally. I always knew I could talk to my dad about anything and that he would always, listen, be patient, be empathetic,and understanding.

Growing up in a house with my dad was a lot of fun. I remember Sai-Soo (however you would spell that), Doggie-Doggie Find That Bone, The Tiger on the Stairs,"Help,Friends,Cousins,come quickwee!", Bow-Wow-Ski-Whatindoddle, and Knee Football. My dad had nicknames and still keeps coming up with nicknames for everyone.
His nicknames never really make any sense but I think everyone gets excited when they get one. :)He's very creative and I've always loved hearing stories,songs he's changed the words to, new nicknames, slogans he's come up with, jingles he's made up, and the different voices he uses. I think he's pretty funny too.

Through my dad's example, I've learned that it's important to always listen to both sides of the story and to not be quick to judge. While my dad was bishop of our ward I would notice him at youth activities always talking to the kids who didn't have many friends in the ward. He's a friend to everyone. It seems like everyone is instantly attracted to my dad and likes him right off the bat.

When I was in high school, I got grounded, A LOT! It was my own dumb fault of course, but at the time I thought it was totally and completely unfair. I remember I would cry and feel way sorry for myself, and my dad would be in the same room as me and I could tell he was trying not to laugh. I hated it at the time, but he would make me laugh too because I would realize how ridiculous I sounded. Now, I really like that quality about my dad though, he never makes things more dramatic than they need to be, and doesn't take life too seriously. He doesn't sweat the small stuff.

My dad is super generous with his time,services,and money. He's mentioned to our family before how he wishes he could give us more. I always feel bad when he says that, because he has no idea how much he has truly given us.

My dad set a great example of how a husband and father should treat their family. In dating I always looked for someone with qualities like my dad.(Good news, I found a winner.)

This tribute doesn't even come close to describing how much my dad means to me. Dad, I think you're the best, funniest, nicest, most generous, loving, creative, patient, understanding, BESTEST man. Happy Birthday! I love you!

Paris

Anita's birthday present to Seth was an all expense paid trip to Paris! We had such a great time. We started off seeing Notre Dame, then headed over to the Eiffel Tower. Of course, we got panda picture there. After the Eiffel Tower we saw a place that was renting bicycles for only 2 euros an hour! We all got bikes and rode up Champsd' Elysees, past the Arc de Triumphe (the roundabout was pretty scary), and up to Montmarte. We saw all the artists, got a crepe (yum!), saw the Sacre-Coeur,and then headed back to return our bikes. After all of that we still had 2 hours to spend it the Louvre. It was such a great day! Thanks so much for taking us Anita!

WICKED!

Seth, Nicole, and I spend the last two days in London. We saw all the major things like, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Parliament,and the London Bridge. The biggest high point of all was seeing Wicked! I loved it so much I almost cried and Nicole loved it so much she did cry! It was a surprise from Seth, I knew we were going to London but I didn't know we were seeing a play. He told me the week before we came out to Europe. I was so excited!

We saw Stonehenge and that was pretty awesome too. We went mainly for, you guessed it, a panda picture. I'm way glad we went though, it was cool.

Greece Photos

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Panda

When Seth was living in Houston, his friend's mom made him a panda bear suit. Since then, Seth has taken the suit on all major vacations to get postcard shots in front of famous buildings, bridges, monuments, etc. So far he has Mount Rushmore, The Golden Gate Bridge, The Parthenon, The Colosseum, and a few others that I can't remember. By the end of the summer he will also have the Eifel Tower and Stonehenge. I was first introduced to the Panda when Seth and I were dating last summer and went to San Francisco for his Ironman Triathalon. At first I thought it was really weird but I think the pictures are hilarious. I think this is the best one so far...look how much air he got!

Ewwww!!!!

One of the first things I noticed at the beach in Greece was how many gross people were walking around half naked, boobs exposed, back hair all nappy, and people popping each other zits. Nice. I decided to start a photo collection entitled: The Grossest Things I Saw in Europe. Here's a sneak peak...