Helllo!

Well....I've been gone forever and have way way way too much to update, so here's what we're gonna do. Flash update!! READY....SET.....GO!

-Nathaniel is HOME!! He's stinkin cute and we still like each other.
-He's in school and has finally decided on a major: English and Linguistics. snap.
-I'm working for the most fabulous woman I have ever met. She has been diagnosed with MS and knows more about life than I could ever aspire to know.
-We're moving to a new place in Rexburg and are super DUPER excited cause we get to be in my aunt and uncle's ward! Party time!!
-We have a new blog!! We're a little bit better at updating that one...and it's about food. So, pretty much better all the way around. thetinpan.blogspot.com
- Oh...and WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!!

We Remember

It's amazing to look back on the last ten years. So much has changed in direct result of those September attacks. I never would have imagined as a 12 year-old girl that that day would influence my life so personally. I watched the news and I saw the footage, but I didn't understand. This is what I know now. Freedom and liberty are eternal in their nature. There is nothing, nor anyone, who can change or destroy truth. And it is true that we have the God-given freedom of choice. I am proud to live in and breathe the air of a country that emulates that principle. I choose to defend it and magnify it's principles with my life.
We will always remember September 11, 2001. And I pray with that remembrance, that we will too remember why freedom is so important and why its possession requires such a great responsibility on behalf of those whose lives it graces.

While Waiting.

Wow! over 3 months since I last posted! Can we say SLACKER?? I can. Man. It's not that I haven't thought about it. In fact, I've started and stopped a dozen posts since then but ended up deleting them and writing them in my private journal instead. Does that ever happen to you? Happens to me all the time. I think, "hey...this might make a good post." Then I go to write it out and think hmm...maybe this is better suited for my posterity than for the all-seeing worldwide virtual social network. Call me crazy!

With that said, it has been a good couple months! I have been working, working, working and it's made the time totally fly! My sister came to visit and brought her cute roommate along with her. We had a great two weeks, even though I was a workaholic the whole time they were here. We did get to go to Mesa Falls for a day, Rigby Lake, G's Dairy, St. Anthony Sand Bar, and Kiwi Loco...a couple times. Oh! And who could forget our frequent trips to South Carolina each time Ash would whip out her southern accent and tell us all the story of "where she been raised...if you wasn't manned-up by the time you were two, they'd spank ya and put'cha up for adoption!" ha! I came THIS close to peeing my pants on more occasions than I care to mention. I'm just now overcoming the withdraws I had after they left. (Miss you two cats! You look like babies!)

It is now 4 days until we enter the blessed month of September. That sweet, autumn month will again make its annual appearance, but this time, will bring with its colorful leaves and smokey smell, MY HUSBAND! Thank you summer, it's been fun. SEE YA LATER! I'VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU GO! Welcome you wonderful Fall, every aspect of your arrival brings back to mind the sweetest memories and renews the hope of memories to come. I love YOU!

Mushy gushy side note: If there is one thing I'm comfortable sharing with both my posterity and the worldwide web its that I love my uniform-wearin, side-smilin, mustache-growin lover boy. I may have failed to see all the blessings of this last year, but he never missed one. He never complains. He never gets angry. He never raises his voice...even when Skype isn't working. He is always patient with me. He loves me hardcore. And I couldn't be more blessed to call him my guy. And I CAN NOT WAIT to get into a normal, boring, everyday routine with that man! Monotony never sounded so good.

A few Do's and Don't's...from recent experience.

-don't leave your underwear in the dryer because you are too lazy to fold them. There's always a chance the managers will decide to send someone to clean your second-story windows after you get out of the shower.
-do wear a towel if that does happen to occur.

-don't assume there is a creepy man hiding under your bed each time you re-enter your apartment.
-do rejoice when you realize you've been going about your business for a whole two-hours after coming home without checking.

-don't talk to strangers.
-do laugh and make friends when you run into the same person three times in 5 minutes holding the same shirt and admiring the same half-off Bermuda shorts.

-don't do your hair when the wind is blowing 500 mph.
-do let it blow your ratty locks back and forth while you run to your car pretending to shoot a scene from Baywatch.

-don't hum along to the song playing over the speakers while you're shopping. As soon as a high note comes, the manager will be needed at the front. Never fails.
-do pretend like you knew it was coming and you were just making sure no one else missed out on the best part of the chorus.

Bumpers and Excuses.

Today I saw a car with a sunk in bumper displaying an advertisement for a business called StressLess. HA!
Spoke volumes to me.
The epiphany continued as I rode down the street, windows down, hair a blowin...and I realized. I need to prescribe myself a nice large dose of Chill Pill. Sometimes it's just no big deal that the wind blows your freshly printed, crisp papers across the parking lot. And it really doesn't matter that you melted the butter when the recipe called for "softened." Why fret when you give the cashier your money and smile wondering why she's looking at you with a "I said thirty FIVE cents, Miss. Not thirty" look. I have a car with a non-sunk-in bumper. I have a roof over my little noggin and a big cozy bed I can hog for a couple more months. I have zero cavities and healthy insides. I can sing anytime I want, see blue skies and sunsets, smell homemade black bean soup and our smoky couches (that's a fun story), wash dishes and talk to my mama at the same time. And I have the coolest guy on earth to call my hubster and my family. He trumps sunsets AND soup. Moral of the story...StressLess even when your mentally and emotionally bumper-less.

So speaking of my cute man...I guess I'll explain why I've been MIA the last forever. Thaniel had his leave!! Which means he got to come home to me for three AWESOME weeks! During which, we celebrated our ONE YEAR anniversary. Can you believe it's been that long?? We joked how we've known each other for four years almost and have only spent about 11 months of that time together. haha! It's amazing how the Lord compensates. We know each other better than we ever imagined knowing each other. He's even funnier than I suspected that first time we spent the day roaming Rexburg in his truck and laughing our heads off. He's even cuter than when he walked into his living room, freshly released as a missionary. AND he's even more patient than when he tried to teach me how to drive stick and I wouldn't leave the culdesac. He just keeps gettin better. And life just keeps gettin sweeter. Happy Anniversary plus two weeks, Honey.

Pics to follow shortly :)

This is Nathaniel writing.
I love my wife.

That's all for now.

Dear future Daughters,

So, in preparation for one of his homework assignments, my husband asked, "Who do you think is a role model for all women?" Good question, right? It made me think about who I want to be. What does womanhood mean to me? Maybe it's old-fashioned nowadays... But I think a woman to be admired is one who follows her God-given yearning for motherhood. She is classy. And by classy, I mean that she is tempered and patient and over-all, thinks of others first. She keeps her body clean because she knows who she is and wants more than anything to use her body for good. She wants to serve and to never stop learning. She is not ashamed of her sensitivity and uses it to love others more perfectly. She is happy.
That's the kinda gal I hope to be. I am so blessed to be able to run out of fingers and toes counting the women in my life that epitomize being a lady.

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
— Marjorie Pay Hinckley

I've got a hankering for homemade.

Did that make me sound like a hick? Well...I am from Virginia...and I do live in Idaho. I guess that answers my question.

Well. Let me just start off by saying, life is good. In the words of Snow White from the book, Snow White's Lesson, "Whenever you are scared, just sing and soon your troubles will be gone." Or something like that. You know, even though she's probably one of the least liked princesses and has one of the most annoying voices in the world...girl knows what she's talkin about. Scary things never last. There's always sunshine at the end of a storm. And the best part is that God created rain boots and polka dot umbrellas so that we can have fun in the rain. I guess my point is that even though there's sunshine to look forward to, looking toward the future can seem like an eternity. Making our own mental sunshine makes the time go a heck of a lot faster. Lightening bolts can either terrify us and make us cover our head with our blanket...or they can make some really cool pictures (we have some to prove it). Rain can either prevent us from cleaning the car...or make a rather nice substitute. It's all in perspective. Well...I'm no pro, but I have found a couple things that are total mental rain boots for me...if you will.

Exhibit A:
Making this baby-


Nothing gives me the giddies more than starting a project from nothing and turning into a something. Except my husband. But nothing else.

Exhibit B:
Folding these-


Weird? A little...but you see...they're his. And he's number one. And I miss him.

Exhibit C:
Well, I don't have a picture of this one...but if I did, it would look something like this-


I am just way grateful for the amazing women I have met over the last 6 months. They have the sweetest hearts, funniest personalities, and cutest kids this side of the Mississippi. And I am just so glad our husbands will all be best friends when they get home. Lucky guys...they don't know how good they've got it. :)

Whada you do at 10:30 on Tuesday nights?

Weird! I crochet flowers, too! And blog about it...
Well, anyway. Check this beaut out! I think it might look cuter on a six-month-old...but I don't mind taking care of it until we have one of those.

I got my tutorial here. They have some adorable ideas for other crafts, too! Like a onesie cupcake (yea. you have to see it to believe it).
Well that's what my life has pretty much consisted of of late. And coupons. Yep...before you know it we'll be the couple separated on the church pew by five little girls all wearing matching crocheted creations in their hair and the grocery stores will be paying us for groceries.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't sort of plan it this way.

Wake up calls.

Do you ever have days or moments where you just take a gander at your life and are totally in awe? Yea, me too. Like today, for instance. It started out a little rough. You see...I'm not Positive Patty about this whole depolyment thing. In fact, I'm Negative Nancy. Sometimes. But other times, I get over myself. Rare...but it does happen. Today I had a dear friend call me. This little gal played a pretty big role in my life my first two years of college. She's one of those few people you meet and then life takes you your separate ways, but you are always deep-down friends. Soul sistas, if you will. Well, we went to a concert that they were having at the Rexburg Tabernacle (a beautiful building, if you have never been inside. And another addition to my list of why Rexburg is my favorite place on the planet). Anyway...it was an orchestra concert (zzzZZZzzz). But, actually, it was really good. Like goosebump good. And during one of the movements I had one of those moments.

I looked around me and saw an audience of white hair and wrinkles (cutie pa-tooties). It got me thinking about how short life is. Each one of them was my age at one time. They were newlyweds once, too. They may have even been separated from their spouses a time or two...many of them endured the earthly separation from their sweethearts. And now..time had taken its toll. Or so it would seem. Really, time has just flown by and refined each one until now they come to Wednesday night community concerts to watch their grandchildren and great grandchildren play beautiful music that brings back memories of how good life has been.

Do you ever think about where you were three years ago from an exact moment in the present? I thought about that during Beethoven. Who would've thought three years ago...when I was a Sophomore in college and a roommate and a pen-pal to a missionary...that I would be sitting in the Rexburg Tabernacle listening to an orchestra, surrounded by grannies, sitting next to an old friend and roomie, and now the wife to that missionary? Blows my mind. Time goes so fast! I hope I will enjoy each moment...and go to more Wednesday night concerts.

My valentine.

So I got a little spoiled this year. And when I say "a little spoiled," I mean it's going to take me until next Valentine's Day to work off the insane amount of calories my sweet husband had delivered to my door. (Thanks, honey)

Not one. Not two. But THREE knocks on the door left me with a plethora of Ghiraridelli chocolates, a half dozen Cocoa Bean cupcakes and white hot chocolate, and a bouquet of white daisies and red roses. As if I hadn't swooned (or swelled) enough, my sweetheart had a fourth surprise waiting in my mailbox today. I opened it to find the most beautiful handmade jewelry box. From the outside this thing is wooden and intricate, but in true Nathaniel fashion, it comes with some work.

I dare you to try and open it. Go ahead! Not gonna happen. Unless...you know where the hidden key is. And the little pully out things. And the buttons to push. Oh yea...and the key hole. Yep. If you figure that all out, then maybe you might just have what it takes to reveal the real treasure. Hand-written love notes and a husband-made, hand-carved, flower-holding teddy bear. It's okay...you can say it. Spoiled. Rotten.




On another note, can I say how much I love being married? Not because I get showered with gifts and am waited on hand and foot (Nope...isn't even a factor). I love being married because I'm married to 'Thaniel. And he doesn't mind that I call him that. Or that I get grouchy about deployment or that when I talk to him on Skype, I'm either ready for bed or just waking up (he even thinks I look pretty). He doesn't mind running next to me when we work out (even though my "run" is his stroll-in-the-park) or that I leave the measuring cups in the flour bag every time I bake. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I couldn't have gotten better.

A little Uplift-ment.

Just the ticket for a Saturday evening

A Change-a-roo.

Today...I changed the living room. Which really means I changed my WHOLE perspective on LIFE! Do you realize what changing the furniture in your living room does to a person? Well, let me tell you. It changes your life. This is why. When you change your living room, it's like cutting your hair. It's the first thing you see in the morning, it's the first thing you notice when you walk in the room, it gives the first impression of your overall style preference as a person. Okay, okay...it's not THAT big of a deal. And Nathaniel is going to read this and make fun of me hardcore for mentioning "style preference" since to him style means about as much as artillery does to me. But! It looks really good. At least right now. See, I have this teenie problem with decisiveness (meaning I have none). I like one thing one day and the next...back to DI! But, I really think I found something good this time!

I'm working on making our apartment a home. It's really important to me, you know? And what is more homey than walking into an inviting living room garnished in warm colors and sprinkled with good books and homemade decor? Nothing! I say nothing! I have been completely captivated with this blog and its' shabby chic goodness. If they can find old things and turn them into that, you betcha I can too! And I did. This was my project this week and I'm so in love. Sorry for the not-so-good picture quality.


Just a table, yes. But such a feeling of accomplishment knowing that that thing used to be UGLY. And now, I think it's charming. And even my sweet army husband thinks so too.

This is why I married him.

I woke up to this cute face embedded on our little blog Nathaniel set up for us. Now, as previously mentioned, we have Skype to facilitate our daily 'good mornings' and 'goodnights' so that we can see each other face to face (or screen to screen) and make fake kissy noises to tuck each other in. It's a great invention and we both feel so blessed to have it at our fingertips. But...sometimes you feel a little silly talking to a computer and getting so excited about it. Sometimes it feels a teensy unnatural to look into a camera as an attempt at eye contact. And it's even a bit strange to be doing the dishes and look over at a pixelated version of what should be your husband. So, our blog is a nice outlet for thought-provoking convo and a little love note here and there. It even sometimes feels a bit more real than even Skype. When I logged on to find this little message, I could barely resist the urge to share it. This is what I signed up for, people. I think I made a pretty good choice.

For further mushiness, see video.

The good stuff.

-hearing our wedding song playing off some girl's laptop in the school library and having the hardest time not bursting into tears and giggles at the same time.
-conquering a patch of black ice with precision and class. Doesn't happen too often in these parts.
-having to jump to see the inside of our mailbox. haha just my luck we got the six footer.
-standing on my tip toes, reaching my hand into the dark box and feeling letters!
-baby-sitting the two most precious babies on the planet and going through withdraws every time I leave.
-putting a newborn to sleep and kissing his warm, baby forehead. Don't you just LOVE the way newborns smell?? I can't get enough!
-hearing a knock at the door at 9pm and opening it to the biggest smile and a loaf of banana bread.
-getting together with other army wives for FHE and eating pizza and pie and watching The Bachelor.
-sneezing. I LOVE it.
-39 degree weather!! It's like Spring!
-taking a Sunday nap and not feeling guilty for it.
-waking up and getting butterflies because loverboy is on Skype!
-eating leftover pizza for breakfast...and lunch.
-parking in front of your parking lot but not turning off the car until your favorite song is over and you have sung every note, unashamed as your neighbors walk by staring.
-talking to cutie-pants hubster about the future. Seriously, he's a dream come true.
-running into old friends in the most unexpected places.

Friends, whoever reads this...okay, Mom... life is good. Maybe a little off-the-wall unexpected sometimes, but oh so good.

The best way to start a year

Happy New Year to all! I know I'm a few days late, but it's still a very happy new year! I remember the New Years Eve of 2008 (right after hubby left on his mission) being an exciting one because somewhere in the back of my love-sick mind I could say, "He comes home NEXT YEAR!!!" Well, let me tell you. New Years Eve of 2011 totally blows that one out of the water. I still haven't got my New Years kiss...but you betcha I'm workin' up one heck of a Welcome Home kiss! September 2011, you just keep on headin this way!

So a little update...
I'm back in lovely Rexburg, Idaho after spending a much needed family visit in Virginia for the past two weeks. There's nothing like being home and reverting back to juvenescence. You know what I'm talkin about? It doesn't matter how old you are-- you get back in Mama's kitchen and you're just another kid scrounging for food and attention. It kills me! But I love it. It was just so good to be home. While there, we made a quick trip to New Jersey to see family we hadn't seen for almost ten years! Yes, ten! Let this go down in the books...ten years is too long to not see family. It was so wonderful to see everyone and how we've grown. Life is just too amazing. Family is amazing and just so precious. What is so crazy to me is that we're all crazy! Isn't it nice?! We are all so different and have walked so many paths. People might look at us and think, "man...what do they even talk about?" I don't know. But whatever it is, we think we're funny. Maybe the point of family is to like each other instead of worrying about being "normal" (normalcy isn't even normal anyway).

Some other highlights of the trip:
-I had the pleasure of meeting my very first Target cashier who was a self-proclaimed-Grammy-winner-Chris-Brown-look-alike. (That might have been the cherry on top)
-My mom taught me how to can chicken! Probably one of the best tasting food storage items if you don't see what it looks like.
-I had my first taste of brie..and it was amazing.
-I ate the most wonderful Aunt Annie's pretzel sticks on the planet.
-I talked with my sisters. Like really talked. Can't beat it.
-We had the missionaries over for Christmas dinner. Poor things probably wished we hadn't after Apples to Apples and Would You Rather.
-My laptop got to be the receptacle by which one of those missionaries could see his family for the first time since he left home. It might have made me a teensy bit teary.
-I got the laugh. The one only my mom provokes, where my face gets distorted and I can't breathe and tears flow.
-I got to see my mom bear her testimony. That just makes everything right in the world.
-I got to rejoin with my two best friends for the first time since we've all been married and talk about the days when we made plans to live next door to each other with our smokin' husbands and perfect kids. One out of three isn't bad...for now.
-I watched home videos with my parents and husband (on Skype).
-I went to the D.C. Temple for the first time with my mom and her best friend and about died it was so beautiful.

Oh, and I GRADUATED! (That was pre-trip, but still a highlight, don't you think?)


Happy New Year!