OVERLOAD!

Hello! I have been a slacker and have decided to let you all know what I have been up to! 

First, I resigned as a teacher at Emerson Elementary where I have taught second grade for the last 4 years!  I don't know what I am going to do yet!  I'm open to suggestions actually :)  I was ready for a change.  I thought I'd have a child by now and be able to be a stay at home mom.  Sadly, Tanner and I have struggled with infertility and that hasn't happened.  It looks like it will take time and lots of money.  Each year I renewed my contract just waiting to get pregnant.  I felt like I was teaching because I didn't have a reason not to.  My heart wasn't in it as much as it should be.  It was also getting difficult to be around other people's kids all day long.  It was a constant reminder of the kids I couldn't have.  Due to those factors and a few others I decided to make a change.  After much discussion, prayer, tears, and thought I felt like it was time to make a change, so I decided not to return next year.  I have mixed feelings, but look forward for the next adventure.  

Okay!  On to the other things I've been doing:

I sold my car Stella.  This was my first big purchase on my own and it felt strange seeing her go.  She was broken and it wasn't worth the money to fix her up.

I used the money I got from selling my car and bought a new washing machine!  When I was younger I thought it was weird what got married people excited: milk on sale, cheap lightbulbs, appliances.  I totally get it now though!  I love it!

Speaking of appliances, We also got a new fridge.  A friend was moving out of state and we bought it used from her.  

I have always wanted to learn to paint.  I have been dabbling in that. 

Here's Roger.  We got him last August.  About a month later we got two more ferrets to keep him company.  Yes, I have 3 ferrets.  Yes, I sort of feel like a weird ferret lady.  Yes, I love them!

Here's Tanner with the 3 of them: Roger, Mo, and Benny.

I like hanging out with my little brother and sister.  On this particular day we got chinese food and Autumn Moon.  They had mustaches in the quarter machines and we couldn't say no to that.

Speaking of my little brother, he got his mission call!  He leaves August 13 to serve in the Chile Santiago East Mission.  The very same mission where husband Tanner served!

My other little brother (Austin) got married!  He married a splendid girl named Rhonda and they live pretty close to us. We really like her!  She can put up with our crazy family, so she's a good fit :)

I went to Las Vegas over spring break.  I saw a Cirque di Solei show, read, laid out by the pool, ate a lot of tasty food.  I went to Serendipity and got a frozen hot chocolate.  it was divine!

I went to my very first hockey game.  We got tickets from one of Tanner's coworkers.  They were right in the center 13 rows back.  IT.WAS.AMAZING!  I wish I was rich enough to go to every hockey!

I had my birthday.   I went shopping in the morning with my mom.  Tanner and I went to Macaroni Grill for lunch.  I got a pair of skinny jeans that are really long (thank you Gap online).  I'm 27 now.  Yuck!  I don't like that number... I was just going to be 26 for two years and then skip right to 28 (so I never had to be 27.  But every time I told someone I was 26 I felt too bad.  So I am begrudgingly owning up to 27.

That's the sister-in-law I mentioned earlier.  She graduated from ASU!

My dear, sweet grandma passed away.  She lived a good long life and was ready to join her husband on the other side, but it was still sad to see her go.  Here's is a big family picture (just my immediate family w/ spouses and Eric [a family friend who is like part of the family]).

Tanner had a work conference at the talking Stick Resort.  I got to go stay and play while he worked.  I spent time by the pool reading and relaxing.  

We got vouchers to order room service and so we got to order it with no cost to us.  It was the first time I'd ever done that.  We got way more food than we could eat!  I loved feeling fancy and taken care of.  I could really get used to that.  I just know I would make a fantastic rich person!

I went to Palm Springs with a couple coworkers.  One day we drove to Anaheim and went to Disneyland.  I love that place.

I flew home from Palm Springs and left to girls camp for my church the next day.  (I don't have any pictures from that).  The day I got home from girls camp I showered, repacked, and headed up to the mountains for a family reunion.

We are amused by strange things.  Like 3 people high towers...

Tanner and I stayed in this little cabin with My brother Brandon and his wife Mandi.

A few of us in front of Austin's cabin. 

This creepy wooden statue was the  "Mogollon Monster".

The last day before we headed out we played a game of horse shoes.  I am no good.  But I did have fun. 

My garden is doing well.  With the help of a brother I built two 4' by 6' grow boxes.  Here are some of my veggies!  There are few things I love more that home grown tomatoes!

There you have it.  Congrats to anyone who is still reading!  That's what I have been up to!