RN Celebration Date

Casey took me on an incredibly fun RN celebration date last night. We started off downtown at Settebello's for some amazing authentic Italian pizza. So yummy, definitely recommend it. We then walked down to Tony Caputo's which is an Italian market and Casey let me pick out two fancy chocolate bars (my favorite). So of course the moment we walked out of the market, I had to taste one of my chocolates... and a few seconds into it my mouth started burning. I had accidently gotten a "chili chocolate." Sick. I did have my other one and I was satisfied with that, but Casey insisted we go get another one to make up for the gross one. So I am set up with chocolate for the next couple weeks (more like days.. haha). After the chocolate, I got a phone call with an amazing piece of news, I was called off of work for that night's grave shift! My mood was already incredibility elevated, so you can imagine how sky high it was at this pointl We then walked to the Gateway and got Ben and Jerry's and watched the fountains while we ate it. Once again, yum. After that, we rushed up to the mountain to go on a hike to a destination that overlooks the valley and Casey had blankets and pillows and we watched the sunset until it was dark. It was gorgeous! We then watched a couple episodes of The Office on his laptop, packed up the blankets, and hiked down in the dark. I definitely lost my balance and slid down this whole dirt hill.Not awesome.. haha. After we got down the mountain we went grocery shopping, went home and ate some peaches, and then went to bed.
One of my most favorite parts of the night was the "schedule" Casey had in his wallet that he frequently looked at, and that I, of course, was forbidden to look at. I love love love when he plans things like this. He always thinks them out and plans such fun nights together. This brings me to my "language of love," which is "quality time" and is what my next post is going to be about. :)

Real Grown-Up

So I've had this blog for a little while now, but I've always just kept it private and used it as a journal.. Sort of.. I've only posted on it like 5 times... But I thought I'd be wild and crazy and let anyone who wants to read it... Read it. So.. Here goes!

In the last couple of months I feel like I've gone from "pretend grown-up" to real "grown up." Yeah, I've been married, we have our own condo, cars, bills, etc... But I've always still been in school and just working part time. We've been kidless, and have still sort of felt like kids ourselves. However... In the last few months my life has changed dramatically! I officially finished school. Done. No more papeers, no more tests, no more late nght study sessions. Two days ago I became a registreed nurse, which is what I've wanted to be when "I grow up" for about 12 years now. I have begun working full time And actually making a financial contribution to the family. I had the blessing and opportunity to be pregnant for 11 short weeks, until sadly we lost the baby, but I have felt different ever since that time. Like I was a "mom" for a moment in time, beginning to make the sacrifices and beginning to love like a mom does. And to top all this "adult" stuff off, I had a real interview today, for a real "adult" job.

Now don't get me wrong, I am still in my 20's, still young, and still love being young, but the transition in the last few months has been life altering, and I am loving it! I always told Casey when I was in school that I was sick of school and that, "I want to be a real person!" So.. I guess you could say I'm a real person now, and I am loving it.

Sundays

Such a nice sunday today. Went to church and taught my 10/11 year old primary kids a lesson on prayer. I really enjoy teaching the older girls because I really get something out of the lesson and it is fun being able to really interact with them. Then we got home and made burritos yet again! That is our thing lately. Then we watched an episode of The Office and America's Home Videos and I started to fall asleep so I went in and took a very needed nap. Casey woke me up a bit later and we just hung out together. I love spending time with him. There is nothing I love more! We then went and visited his family for just a bit. We had to go to the store to pick up some items to help with my GI issues (ugh). Casey then made us hawaiian haystacks and we watched Survivor while we ate. After we sat down in the living room and watched a couple things on the internet, and then looked at pictures of us from the last couple years.

Have I mentioned how much I love hanging out with this man? Sundays at home are some of my very favorite.

Also... I think I might be pregnant! I have said this a million times before, but there is a real chance I could be this time. I just feel different than usual. I can't believe how much I hope that I am! I can't wait to be a mom. I can't wait to see Casey be a dad. He will be incredible. I can't wait to add to our family! So, if we aren't pregnant this time around, then we are going to officially be trying!! So happy. :)

Lately

Life has continued on, like it always does since my last post. Writing in any form of a journal has never been an easy thing for me. But, as usual, I'll keep trying.

Life since last July? Still incredibly in love with my man. We sold the Ice Shanty and are discontinuing Element 7. They were time takers, not especially money makers. That Shanty supported us through the whole summer though. What a blessing. Element 7 was also a great experience.

Now? I am still in nursing school, but the time is ticking! I have less than 5 months left until I am an RN, and this last Monday I passed my LPN boards. I thinking nursing school has probably caused the most stress and the hardest work I've ever experienced in my life. Lucky thing is, I still love it. I still love nursing. I am terrified to be a nurse, yet excited at the same time. I want to be an amazing nurse. I truly do. I'm hoping that I'll be able to work at Primary Children's. That is my big goal.

One of the funnest things about nursing school is my friends. Thank goodness there is something fun to look forward to on those long lecture days and study sessions.

Casey is a stud. He is working for Groove right now selling Dish and Direct TV, and has been doing that door to door since the end of the summer. He does a great job supporting us. He recently just got offered a position in commercial sales at the same company! It satisfies his desire for a flexible schedule, base pay, and commission. For a while he was considering Deals That Matter, as well as a position in Michigan. Michigan is still a maybe in the future, but isn't looking like a huge possibility right now.

Who knows?

:)

Expectations

Expectations.

Expectations don't always become reality. In fact, they often don't.

The cool thing is, when they don't, often there is something even cooler around the corner. And when they do, well great, you got what you wanted!

I EXPECTED to go to the University of Utah Nursing Program. I am absolutely happy at DATC with incredible friends and a program that I love.

I EXPECTED to have my dad around for my whole life. Instead... I met the man of my dreams that the thing that brought us together was something we both shared... a struggling parent who didn't conquer their temptations.

I EXPECTED to have my home decorated by now. I love what our home is to Casey and I. The memories that we have created with the amazing marriage that we have is cooler than a painted kitchen, and a bookshelf with stuff on it. It's what we've worked on and are working towards.

I EXPECTED as a kid to go to college with gymnastics. I'm so glad it didn't. I had a great childhood, and who knows where I would be.... would I have found Casey?

Those are just a few...

I have a few more "Expectations" that seem to be lingering.

I am expecting to lose the weight I want to lose...

I am expecting to do well for the rest of the summer with the shack...

I am expecting to get a scholarship or a grant for the last bit of school...

I am expecting to get pregnant when we decide to start trying...

I am expecting that Element & will continue forward despite issues regarding Sub Zero...

I am expecting to be in a home in the next few years...

I am expecting all my loved ones to be there all the time.

Sounds stuck up to say I am expecting all of those things... but I am. Aren't you expecting the same (though possibility variations) things in your life?

The things is, we all have expectations every day. I expect that I am going to wake up tomorrow morning, and that my husband is going to wake up next to me. I also expect I'll get up on time.

The question is... what expectations are going to become realities? It can give my heart a little jump to think about the lingering expectations listed above NOT occurring...

What would I have said if someone told me 10 years ago that "you aren't going to get into the University of Utah nursing program. You're dad will die when you are 15. Oh, and you won't be a gymnast in college or have a decorate home for 2 years after your marriage." Probably would have hurt my heart. However... I like my life better now, than if I had gotten those things that I thought I wanted, or expected.

That's the thing. Those expectations didn't become a reality... but I'm still happy. The one expectation we can always count on if we so choose to.

Life comes at us everyday. Sometimes our expectations become reality, and sometimes they don't. Our expectation of happiness, however, can always be a reality.... and if we choose to let it be, we will find happiness in the alternative pathways, and alternative expectations. We don't have to wait and see. We can choose that everyday, despite the possible expectations that haven't become reality... or the ones that have. Doesn't matter.

Happiness is an expectation I choose to have.

Life...

I love life. More specifically, MY life. I wake up to Casey every morning. Our mornings usually consist of getting ready, me working out, him getting stuff done in his office, meeting together for breakfast and scriptures, and then heading out to our day. We both work super hard, whatever it is we're doing... and then if we are lucky enough to both be able to be home at a decent hour, I cook a nice dinner and we usually watch the Office or Lost. Then, he holds me EVERY night as we fall asleep.

Sounds like an ordinary day? Well sometimes, our ordinary days are what makes me LOVE my life. MY ordinary day, consists of being married to the man of my dreams, and spending several hours with him a day. It consists of me having a strong, able body that can work out every day. It involves the gospel, and trying to live the principles of it. Right now (it's summer) it always involves some sort of sun soaking. It consists of our fun condo that we have worked on together, and that is still not done enough to be decorated. It consists of dirty dishes sometimes, because we chose to cuddle on the couch instead. It always involves family in some way or another, which are, of course, the most important people in my life. It consists of hard work, which always brings happiness into our home. It always consists of my husband holding me, and kissing me so sweetly.

Ordinary?

Not a chance.

Lately

Element 7 Creamy KILLED it at the Arts Festival this last weekend. Casey and I have never worked so hard in our life! We basically worked from Wednesday to Sunday from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day! It went so well though. It was so much fun to see everything come together. We had on average 4 employees working with us a day. We had a tent set up behind the table for mixers, pumpers, and stockers. Then on the trailer we would have 4 people doing orders, flavors, mixing, and nitrogen. It was nuts. At one point, we were pumping out 80 ice creams an hour! That's a freaking lot! Over the whole weekend we sold over 2000 ice creams. So, to say the least, it was a success! We learned a lot. We also had the chance to do a press review on Wednesday night, as well as a news spot on Channel 2 news on Friday morning! We had to be to our booth super early on Friday, and we got a two and a half minute slot. I showed the process of pumping the cream and the flavors, and Casey showed the nitrogen part. It was sweet!

Our next event is this weekend for the Fourth of July at the Sandy Fireworks. Only one day... it'll be a piece of cake :).

We've spoiled ourselves a little bit this week after so much hard work last week. We went swimming on Monday, took my mom to a movie (Toy Story 3) and dinner (The Cheesecake Factory) on tuesday as a thank you for her help at the Arts Festival, we went to the new Twilight: Eclipse today with Hannah, and we went kayaking today at the Daybreak Lake. SO much fun. This was our first time kayaking with our new (from last summer!) kayaks. Neither of us tipped! It was really fun.

Fun week... but back to hard work! :)