And the Day After . . .

Yesterday, my dear husband wrote about gratitude and some of the blessings in his life.  Reading through it made me pause as well to think about how much I love that man.  I realize that this may seem like a "last word" post, but I can't help stopping in and adding my own two cents about gratitude during this time of year where we're so focused on what is good and sweet about life.  While I will always find it very cliche and disturbing that we don't ponder on our blessings throughout the entire year, maybe these holidays with their focuses are meant to boost us in the right direction.  

I am a newly married woman living from paycheck to paycheck with no idea how I'm going to make it through the holidays.  And yet, in the past three months, I haven't thought about what little we've had.  In fact, I've been pondering lately on how I can be more grateful for the numerous blessings in our lives.  We have so much, we really can't stop to covet or crave what anyone else should have.  I have a beautiful apartment that we got for cheap as dear Nate informed you; I have the most amazing husband who is more perfect for me than I could ever have imagined; I have talents and passions that make my life interesting; I have a job (despite the early hour) and a steady income; I have multiple families that I can turn to in times of need and fun; I have a Heavenly Father who is perpetually looking out for me.  I am blessed.  We all are.  No matter what situation in life.  No matter if we want to see it or not.  

So why don't we choose to see it more often?  

Enjoy that little teaser of a question and let it change your life.  

Oh, also, I'm grateful for puppies.  You can never have enough puppies.  

Especially chubby little long haired dachshunds that fall asleep in your arms with their little tongue sticking out.  

Thanksgiving

So it has been awhile since I’ve written a post.  Today was a very good day. I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving Day festivity. It was a pretty good one for us, it was our first one as a married couple. We ended up going down to Idaho Falls and celebrated with my Aunt’s family. We were asked to bring a side dish, so since it’s the holiday of feasting I decided to bring my mom’s sweet potato recipe. You can’t have a thanksgiving meal without sweet potato casserole. Yesterday I went to the store and bought the ingredients that I needed. Last night I prepared the dish and when I finished I wasn’t quite sure how it would turn out. Part of the process of making the casserole is to put it in the fridge for four hours. So I put it in overnight and I put it in the oven this morning.

We headed down to Idaho Falls about 11:00 this morning. When we arrived, the aroma of all the food was deathifying. There was two types of turkey, a ham, plenty of potatoes, and a lot of raw vegetables and of course my homemade casserole. I still wasn’t sure how people would like the casserole. So once everybody arrived, the feasting began. The food was delicious of course. Kylee doesn’t like sweet potatoes and I’ve tried to get her to try them but with each attempt, no success. But today I finally got Kylee to try them. And, she LIKED them which was surprising but it must have something to do with my cooking skills. Later in the evening when we were all sitting around recovering from the food coma we were all in, Bret said that he really enjoyed the casserole and that it was good. SUCCESS!!!!! Another person liked the dish. Needless to say my worries were no more. It was a good day.

When we got home this evening, Kylee and I sat down and watched a movie. We ended up watching “Act of Valor”. I have been wanting to see it since it came out and it is finally on Netflix on watch instantly. So we watched it and it was a decent movie. I don’t want to spoil the ending of the movie for those of you who still want to watch it, but it got me thinking of the things that I am thankful. I know today is the day we are reminded of the things that we are thankful for. But I am thankful for the military and everybody who serves. They protect us and give us the freedom that we have today in this country.

I don’t want to list everything that I am grateful for because the list is so big so I guess I will just list a few of the things. I am thankful for my wife and everything that she does. I am thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. It brings comfort to my mind especially in times of trial. I am thankful for my family, both immediate and extended. I am also thankful for Kylee’s family. I am grateful for the university that I attend even though sometimes it may not seem like it. I am grateful for the apartment that we have. We really lucked out with the apartment. It is priced very well for a two bedroom apartment. It is also very quiet which is extremely nice. I am grateful for the friends that I have.

Since I’m somewhat of a traditional guy, let the Christmas music and celebration commence!  

Clichély Chevron with a Kylee Twist

I, like many other women in this world, have succumbed to Pinterest.  I admit that now with all the shame and pride appropriate for such a situation.  I love how many ideas float around, just ready to be downloaded into my brain and used for my own purposes (whether the pinners intended them that way or not).  However, that being said, I would like to claim the next two ideas as my own.  Today, I shall discuss the first. 

  

I would like to be able to say that I fell in love with Chevron long before it became ridiculously popular over the entire internet.  That would be a lie.  Pinterest introduced to me to the very classic looking pattern.  I instantly fell in love and began to wonder how I could incorporate it into my life without really believing I would do anything much where Chevron was concerned.  And then I received the greatest wedding present in the world:  our good friends, Jen and Adam, created a bookcase just for me.  That’s right, world!  They designed the most epic bookcase.  When I saw that beauty sitting on the front stoop of Jen’s apartment (right after I’d helped her lug the thing out of Adam’s van and then up the stairs), my brain began to double time. 

It was incredible!  So totally “Kylee” in its design.  When I saw it for the first time, Jen hadn’t even started sanding it.  She needed to finish a second bookcase for another friend of ours, and ours had fallen to the side for the moment--fate.  

“Can I please paint this?!” 

It took very little convincing. 

Taking a load off Jen’s back, I stole my bookshelf along with the stain they’d been planning to put on it and a few pages of sandpaper.  I took the whole lot to my doorstep, and began the arduous process of sanding the stupid thing.  Warning:  if you think undergoing a wood project of this size for your first wood project EVER is a smart idea, know that it’s not.  I was sure that the process would be super easy.  No joke, my thoughts geared toward finishing it within just a week or two.  I was very wrong. 

A month later . . .

I finally finished sanding, and prepared to stain the surface.  I blocked off two panels per enclosed square with painter’s tape.  Surprisingly, this was the easiest job. 

After two coats of stain, the bookcase looked like the following pictures . . . GORGEOUS.  Such an amazing color.  I loved it!  "Bombay Mahogany Satin."  

Then time for retaping and priming the empty panels. 

And then came the paint. Due to my impatience and frustration by this point, I didn’t take many pictures until it had finally been finished. 

I really love how it turned out.  Especially with all our junk cluttering it up.  It’s so cute!

After I had finished the paint job, it had been sitting on the front porch--painted side facing out--when suddenly a neighbor popped up on our doorstep.  "Are you giving this bookcase away?  My wife sent me up here to ask about it."  I had to tell him that it was mine completely, but I was so flattered!  My bookcase is coveted.  I did a good job.  I hope it stays in the family for a long time.  

First Snow 2012

The other day, I went for a walk.  I came back soaked. 

Now, as I sit in my sweats having woken to find the world blanketed in white, I’ve realized how peaceful this apartment is.  I sit here in my brightly lit living room, looking out the window at the pure white rooftops, and listening to the squeals of our neighbor’s children as they play between the apartments.  I know in the coming months I will rue the snow and all it stands for; yet at this moment, I can’t help but love it. 

First snow, I welcome you with a tip of my knit hat and toast of hot chocolate.  Happy Snow Fall, Rexburg.

--Written Thursday, 26^th of October

Also, my husband has turned into a ninja in order to combat the cold.  

My sexy man. ;)

Aaaaa-AAAAt Laaaaaaast!

Granted, we’re over a month late, but man, we are finally married.  Look at us. 

No, really.  Look at us.

I can’t lie.  I’m super happy with how this marriage thing is turning out.  To summarize the first month: at first, I was like “daaaaaaazzzzzee.” 

Then I was like “hoooonnnnneyyymooonnnnn.” 

Thanks Uncle David and Aunt LaPriel!  Peace and quiet in the Tetonia home was amazing.

And then I was like “well, crap.” 

Home sweet home?  (It was messier than this, but I didn't take pictures...)

Over the next week, I began to prove my ability to homemake and fulfill other wifey details in a patriarchal home, thus establishing blackmail between the sexes.  [“ALL THOSE WEEKS AT HOME CLEANING AND ORGANIZING AND YOU WANT ME TO DO THE LOUSY DISHES?!” in which the age old argument is immediately dismissed.  A rather brilliant plan, if I do say so myself.] 

After laborious hours delving into spider infested boxes and surviving the stifling heat of a closed up apartment, our place of residence began to transform into something much more homey and comfortable. 

DI became the staple of our furniture followed by family members galore. 

Oh DI how we love you.

Kylee flare took to the walls and décor. 

Sorry for the yellow tone.  It's night time.  I'll post something prettier when I have everything ready. 

And Nate took over the Spare Room with his own flare for interior design and a manly desire to do homework. 

Overall, I can honestly say that I have had far too much fun as a homemaker and brand new wife.  I love staying up that extra minute just to be sure the dishes are done and the counters are clean.  I love putting things in their place and exercising my creative brain in storage space.  I love planning for the holidays, and designing my own decorations.  I love going to DI and finding those little pieces that really make it a home.  I love every piece of our apartment from the spacey living room and the pure white kitchen to the demon shower and stuffy bedroom. 

Marriage is good. 

I am content. 

Happy life, people. 

Our Summer Days Seem to be Drifting Away

We have two days until our long awaited day.  Two long days so I need something to keep my mind off my problems.  Thankfully, I have an abandoned blog that needs love and attention to keep my thoughts a bit occupied.  And so, I feel the need to talk about the events of the past two or three months. 

Starting with our miscellaneous events for today, let’s dive into the world of exploitive football games, multiple wedding day adventures, and our many explorations in the realm of relaxation:

Exploitive football games can be found at BYU-Idaho.  How can it possibly be exploitive, you ask?  Maybe it’s the overwhelming collection of t-shirts shot periodically into the crowd or possibly the handfuls of candy tossed to the kids in the front rows.  How about the helicopter they flew over the field, dropping ping pong balls over a crowd of screaming kids and granted gifts from t-shirts and cheap plastic footballs to iPod docks and more?  To be honest, I remember nothing about the game itself.  I only remember the two shirts that Nate managed to catch for both of us supporting each team, and a little kid who spent his entire time sliding down the hand railing. 

Opposing teams, one love.

Day time sliding

And continue into the night 

While we did have some fun in all of this, I don’t have any desire to experience the slaughtering of sports as we know it ever again. 

With two friends married, Nate and I have been on multiple wedding day adventures.  First we visit Jen on her big day as she married Adam and became Mrs. Stahl.  After an interesting morning of family and getting ready, she was a gorgeous bride, exiting the temple with a large grin and a glow.  I was so happy to see Jen-Jen on her big day. 

The second friend was just as gorgeous on her big day as she became Mrs. Audrea Gayda, wife to Kris. 

Of course, while I was there, I had to entertain the children of the bride’s family.  A camera war ensued that involved many pictures of flowers and our various, posed activities.  These are just a few of my favorite. 

But in the end, we were there for Drea and Drea only.  Thus, we have the few pictures taken of the many family adventures.

Over all, the weddings made me enviously giddy for my own big day, but I was also extremely happy for both girls.  I look forward to joining them in only a day! 

Finally, I demonstrate our abilities in exploring the realm of relaxation through a series of pictures.  It’s amazing what a day of fireworks, grass lounging, bonfires, car wrecks, and barley fields.  Life outside of school is a good life. 

Here's to this Saturday and an amazing summer with the man of my dreams.  :)

Happy days.