Every time I see a dog my heart gets super sad and I just want one! About this time last year, we put our sweet dog, Sadie, down. I got really sad about it. Like really sad. It was the first time Jeff ever saw me cry, and I never cry. Ask anyone. He basically didn't know what to do haha. My dad surprised me with how down he got over it (because the first time we brought her home he was NOT happy about it). Her little dog collar still hangs in his rear view mirror. So tender, right? He wouldn't let my mom throw away her food bowl for months after she was gone (it sat in the same spot for years). We got Sadie when when I was about 6 years old. Hello, that's a long time! She was seriously THE best dog ever. My brother, Sam, will try telling you it's HIS dog, because when I was like 9, me and my brothers played a game of Uno and bet Sadie. So whoever won got to keep her.

I try to convince Jeff that we need a dog so we can "practice being parents". baha. He's not fooled.

This was taken the day my mom took her in.

Is it pathetic I'm posting about Sadie? Probably. Bah! But this is like journal ish so whateva.

On a lighter note, I'm just 2 measly math classes short of a lame Associates degree. I know, even more pathetic than dog reminiscing. I honestly have a massive load of hatred for Math. It's strictly a hate hate relationship. That's why when it was the only thing keeping me back from said degree, I said forget it and moved on to Esthetic school-- what I really wanted to do. So, 3 years later I figure I just need to suck it up and DO IT. But it's such a PAAAAIN. The whole process of figuring out which Dixie math classes are equivalent to CSN's, talking to counselors from both schools, being put on hold over the phone for centuries, etc. and I still have yet to sign up for my class. I know, I'm so whiney right now. Math puts me in a terrible mood. I better feel accomplished once I pass these stupid things! okthatsallbye.

Date Night

We recently decided to have "date night" every Friday night. I plan the whole date for one Friday, he does it all for the next, etc. and we just alternate. So since it was my idea, Jeff was kind enough to allow me to do the first one (thanks for the pressure, honey). So last week we gave it a go! I was planning on going to Canada today, but that didn't work out, so since I thought I was going to be gone Halloween weekend, I wanted to do something "Halloweeny", since we hadn't done any of that yet. So I started our night out at Fausto's. America's best Mexican establishment. Jeff had never been there, and who could beat a good cheap meal?

Next we went to a haunted house on the North side of town at the Cannery. It was so fun! We decided it was the best one we've ever been to. I was seriously screaming the entire time. And we ended up selling our second set of tickets (since there were two haunted houses), so long story short we ended up only paying $7 bucks for the both of us! (originally $27). GO US. We were so proud of ourselves that we went to Dairy Queen afterward and stuffed our faces in Blizzards. I got the pumpkin pie blizzard and it's ammmmaazzzinnngg.

So let's recap...

Dinner: $8

Activity: $7

Dessert: $5

total- $20!!!!

3 course date for 10 bucks each? SCORE.

I've set the bar high.

Partying with Dee-isney

Last weekend we went to California for a surprise birthday party Jeff and the siblings threw for my mother-in-law's big 60th! There was about 80 people that were invited so I was pretty sure it was going to get back to Jeff's mom by the night of, but it didn't! It was a total surprise which made it so much better. It was a lot of fun sneaking around trying to finalize last minute arrangements beforehand. The party turned out great and it was an awesome weekend with the whole fam.

We got to CA on Friday and went to Disneyland with Jeff's sister, her husband, and their four kids, and Jeff's mom. Amy had a Free Admission ticket from 1985 that hadn't been used yet!! She got it from a friend years ago who got it from a friend and forgot all about it til this weekend, and sure enough it totally worked! We had fun that day. I should really try to take more pictures, but I'm terrible about it. Sorry, folks.

Jeff was really good at this shooting game. I was pretty impressed.

Dallin loves his Uncle Jeffy.

Everyone on Small World.

Mini-Vaca

Jeff was in between jobs last week (his old clients wanted him back and he wasn't the happiest at his current job), so he quit and didn't have to start for a whole week! I've been begging to go to Knott's Berry Farm all summer, but Jeff insisted on waiting til school started so it would less crowded. So I patiently waited all summer (I love theme parks), and when the opportunity came with this whole job thing, we took it and it was perfect! We drove to California Tuesday night and stayed at Jeff's Mom's house. It was nice to visit with her-- we don't see his family nearly enough. The next morning we got up and ventured to Knott's. I'm SO glad we waited! The whole place was totally empty and we walked onto every ride. It was the best! I had so much fun (despite the fact my favorite ride "Ghost Rider"--the wooden roller coaster-- was under construction). Ahh, I love theme parks! It'd been so long. Jeff was trying to keep up with me (bless his heart that entire day haha). It all brought back the best memories, because my family grew up going to Knott's (we weren't Disneyland type folk). On one ride, X-celerator, this one man rode the whole time we were there. I was curious how many times he had ridden it, so Jeff asked him and he said "In the past 8 years I've ridden this 31,804 times"!!! Did I mention he was probably like 65 yrs old? My hero. So funny.

Boysenberry Funnel Cake!

On the way home, we spontaneously stopped at Calico Ghost Town. I hadn't been there since I camped there as a Girl Scout and it was so awesome to me back then, but it was hilarious this time around because it was seriously a GHOST TOWN. We didn't even see one worker. It was so funny. And so boring. I'm glad we got around paying the $6 a person to get in (again... the workers were missing).

Peneplain Ave. Update

We have these nice next door neighbors from former Yugoslavia that were the first (and only) to acknowledge us since Jeff got this house. They were always sitting on their porch, smoking a cigarette or drinking a cup of coffee and would always say "hi" whenever we pulled up. Well, a couple days ago I noticed that ALL their porch furniture has disappeared and all their shoes they leave out there are gone as well. The lights are off. No sign of inhabitation. We've been dying to know if they just picked up and left some time while we were at work or something. Tonight we did some 007 of our own and got a flashlight to creep in their back room windows. To our dismay-- EMPTY. No more nice foreign neighbors. And now we get to park in their driveway. SCORE! But I do hope these kind people are doing okay and didn't have to pick up and leave because of the outrageous mortgage (they told us before they bought at the worst time possible and paid more than double than what we did :(

Education Week

Sorry, people. No pictures this time, because I forgot to take any. But last week, Jeff let me go to Education Week at BYU! I was really excited about it, because I've always heard how amazing it is and it IS AMAZING! I loved every minute of it. My brother and I flew up there at 6am Tuesday morning, and we took classes for 7 hours straight that day. That night I got to spend time with two of my really good friends from Esthetic school-- Diana and Vanessa-- it was so fun! I haven't seen them in forEVER. Diana is going to have her baby in like 5 weeks and I haven't even seen her since she's been pregs and it was just great to hang out with them. The next day we did another 7 hours of classes before we had to fly home.

I couldn't wait to come home and tell Jeff everything I learned. I took a ton of notes and went through every class I took and told him everything. The whole time I kept thinking how much he'd love it, so I really hope we can go together next year. My favorite class I went to was about tender mercies of the Lord.

It was a great experience because it's just what I needed. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching the 5 yr old primary kids, but it was really nice to learn from the church's best educators. Can't wait to go back next year!

Cheers from Maui!

So... before I said I was going on one last trip with my brother. It happened! We originally wanted to go to St. Lucia, but we checked the weather for when we were going and it was raining ALL week. so lame. So our back up plan was to Maui and it was awesome! We went to Maui for spring break when I was 16, but didn't really remember it, so this was def so much fun. The weather was ah-mazing. Mid 80s all week. But obviously I missed Jeffy! 

Day 1: hike. so fun. we went with some people from our hostel we stayed at. 

Our group before starting the hike. It was seriously GORG! ah I want to move there. 

Someone in our group broke her ankle half way into the hike. Her foot was full on dangling. It was pretty gnarly. Two of the guys wrapped her up and carried her all the way back.

Steeper than it looks! Grabbing on to tree roots and sliding on mud down the hill.

Getting our hike on.

Pretty. 

Possibly National Geographic status. Possibly. 

Because the girl in the group broke her right ankle, she couldn't drive her rental, so we graciously offered to drive her around the island. We stopped to hike down to this blow hole to jump off some rocks. She may or may not have waiting in the car...

 

This place was tight. So clearly a ninja type stance is mandatory. 

Fruit stand on the side of the road. Pleasant view= pic opp., obviously.

To get to "Big Beach", we had to take 2 different buses and got off on the last stop and had to hitch hike the rest of the way.  A fine citizen by the name of Kevin was kind enough to give us a ride. Thank, Kev!

Maui 2010! Cheers.

Water was bluuuue. and perfect. and clear. and warm. and perfect.

Just me riding the waves. NBD. 

Our hostel. Inside here you would find a kitchen, pool table, tv. Everyone hung out in here at night. 

And that was our trip! Although we stayed the last night on the airport floor, it was so worth it. Thanks, Sammy, for allowing me to share all these trips with you!!