Camping!!!!....????

So, I returned home from work last night at 9:30 and found this in my living room....

Wha Wha Whaaaat?????

That's right folks, its our tent. In our living room

: )

What a cute husband I have.

He left me a message telling me to pick the entertainment for the evening. And there on the couch were a bunch of DVD's to choose from. He had "rented" them all from the library. Who knew you could get such good movies from the library.... and for FREE!

So, I picked Bucket List. Then, I decided to go get my pajamas and what not and get ready for the camp out in the living room. I was suprised to find something missing in my room....

......the mattress off the bed! I had thought that it was an air mattress out in the tent. I didn't realize he had brought our real mattress out there!!!! If you look closely at the picture of the tent, you can see that the tent is actually sitting on top of the mattress. Hehe. Cute Steve. So, we slept comfortably. And had a good camp out in the living room.

I love cute suprises like that.

Thanks Steve.

Update

So, if you wonder why I don't do much updating on my blog... it's because.... well.... there's not much changing in my life! It's the same thing every week..... work at shoe carnival 5 days a week, go to church on Sundays, go to Young Women activities every Tuesday night, cook a few times a week (check out my food blog), sleep every night, and every once in a while I spend time with my husband and the occasional friends.

I did make these crafts at a craft night for Relief Society the other week. I was quite proud of myself, because I NEVER finish crafts! And that night I came home with TWO finished crafts! Hooray for my "Give Thanks" sign and my three square pumpkins! (Steve thought it was hillarious that the pumpkins were square.... I think they are cute)

I did dye my hair this week. I find that often when I feel like my life is just too... stagnant, no exciting changes.... I often do something different with my hair... because that makes me feel like I had some control over making a physical change in my life! Sounds crazy, I know....

Anyway, I was also starting to notice way too many gray hairs, so dying my hair was a definite need.

So, I picked out the color.....

....got messy....

...and, there you have it, my hair is now slightly darker with red in it! (I've had my hair colors similar to this before, but I haven't dyed it for a while, so it is kind of nice).

If you can't remember what color my hair was most recently, here is a glimpse.

I think that is pretty close to my natural color....not sure....

Steve is "enjoying" school. It is a lot of studying... but he likes just being able to focus on school and not having to worry about working or anything. He got a high pass on his first test and has his second one on Monday. So far he seems to be doing well at balancing his time. He makes time to excercise and lift weights, spend time with me, and eat. He is also a ward missionary so he goes out with the missionaries maybe once a week. Oh, and he has gained 10 pounds since we got here!!! YAY for Steve!!! This was as a result of hard work on his part-- lots of excercise and weightlifting, eating more, and using protein... stuff. Anyway, good job Steve. You look great!

Oh, so you know the hurricane disasters in Texas.... and how they had that mandatory evacuation of Galveston island.... and all that mess. Well, as I was hearing about all that I was thinking "Wow..... THAT is one of the reasons we ended up in Ohio instead of in Galveston, Texas! What a blessing!" Galveston was one of the three schools we were on the alternate list for, and Galveston was actually the place Steve most wanted to go. But, we ended up feeling best about Ohio and taking the offer from Ohio when we got it. But, if we had ended up in Galveston... all our stuff could be destroyed right now! I was laying in bed that night before the center of the storm was supposed to hit and I was thinking about which things I would have loaded up into the car to save..... Sure glad we didn't end up there : ) All we got here was some awesome heavy rain and wind as the aftermath of hurricane Ike.

We are glad to be here in Ohio. No hurricane disaster. Plus, if we weren't here, we might not have great friends like these ones......

Jon and Keriann Felt

Here is Jon in our Luv Sac. He enjoys lounging in it when they come over. Come over any time Jon! Thanks Jon and Keriann for being our friends! Keriann rescued me this week when I got sick at work and my employer wouldn't let me drive myself home because I was dizzy. Keriann left in the middle of what she was doing and came and picked me up and took me home. I felt bad to inconvenience her like that, but it is so nice to have a friend like that. Usually when I am in a situation like that I would call my mom to come get me.... this is the first time I've had to think.... "who am I gonna call???" (we only have one car and I had driven it to work and Steve was at school). My first thought was was to call Keriann. Thanks Keriann.

Oh, this week for our Young Women's activity I taught the girls how to make my grandma's cinnamon rolls. Check em out. Cinnamon Rolls We had fun. Speaking of Young Women activities.... I started a blog for my young women, but then before I even had anyone look at it, I was informed that we are "not allowed to do that" : ( So, I am now going to kill off that blog. But, I figured I'd transfer the two posts from that blog onto here, so I have a record of those activities we did : )

Modest is Hottest!

On September 9th, we learned about modesty then made modest "prom" dresses out of toilet paper, newspaper, tissue paper, and ribbons!!!

It was so fun to see what different designs the girls came up with. Beautiful dresses girls!

Lexus, Ashley, and Kaitlyn

Back to School!

On September 2nd we got ready for the new school year by making goals. All the girls wrote a letter to themselves, listing goals they had for the upcoming school year-- spiritual goals, physical goals, social goals, ANYTHING! We sealed the envelopes and will give the letters to the girls at the end of the school year. Alexandrea

After that, we made some locker magnets, using pictures out of magazines. We all had a great time and the magnets turned out super cute!

Lexus

Kaitlyn and Cortney

Missing my family....

My family is partying in Florida without me.....
(nephew Kyler, niece Kahri in stroller, sister Megan, bro-in-law Brady, brothers Daniel and Jordan, and my lovely mom Denise)

I took these pictures of my niece back before we moved out here and before my sister headed back to Switzerland. I just had them printed for my sister to pick up while she is out visiting again. As I've worked on them, I've wished I could see this cute little babe and give her a squish! This has been the first week I have started to feel some real tinges of homesickness. My family is all out in Florida right now on a vacation while my sister is visiting from Switzerland, and I wish I could be there with them : ( But, can't do everything.
However, thanks to our wonderful parents, we will be flying home for Christmas! Mine and Steve's parents are paying for our plane tickets to fly home. We will fly out December 21st and stay for 2 weeks, returning to Toledo on January 4th, the day before Steve goes back to school.
It feels kind of strange to already be making plans for Christmas! But, it will be here before we know it. I am excited already... I love the holiday season. I have already started listening to Christmas music. Not all that "HO HO HO" stuff--- REAL Christmas music.... I've quite enjoyed it : )

Bamboo Bathroom

BEFORE

AFTER

So, I wasn't a huge fan of the blue bathroom... I mean, it was cute... but not really me. And it didn't match all the bathroom stuff I already had! So, I am in the process of painting it. Two walls are now green. I am still trying to determine what to do next.... What color do I paint the other two walls.... and what color do I do the window frame and trim/moulding/whatever that strip of wood is that goes around the room!???

Here is the wall across from the shower (notice the reflection in the mirror)

Then the other wall just has the door on it.

I was thinking either paint the other two walls a light beige-ish tan color(like the color of the towels, picture below) and then do the trim stuff a darker tannish color (like the trim on the towel). Or, vice versa.

Suggestions please! I am no good at this!

White Coat

Today was Steve's white coat ceremony. What is that, you ask?

"The white coat ceremony (WCC) is a relatively new ritual in some medical, veterinary medical, podiatric, optometry and pharmacy schools that marks the student's transition from the study of preclinical to clinical health sciences. At some schools, where students begin meeting patients early in their education, the white coat ceremony is held before the first year begins.
WCCs typically involve a formal "robing" or "cloaking" of students in white coats, the garb physicians have traditionally worn for over 100 years and other health professions have adopted." (thanks wikipedia)

So, today, after sitting through a VERY long convocation and ceremony... Steve was dressed in his white coat!

He now looks like a real med student. He will be starting school on Monday.

I am so proud of Steve and this great accomplishment of becoming a medical student. I know these next years won't be easy, but I know that he will do well and I look forward to the journey that awaits us. He's such a cute little doctor-to-be!

After they were "cloaked" in their white coats, all the students stated their pledge of ethics. I don't really expect you to read it, but for anyone who is interested (and for my own record keeping) this is what it said:

Medical Student Pledge of Ethics
I publicly acknowledge and accept the privileges and responsibilities given to me today as a physician in training and dedicate myself to provide care to those in need.
I will approach all aspects of my education with honesty and integrity, embracing opportunities to learn from patients, teachers, and colleagues.
I will always maintain the highest standards of professional conduct.
I will certify only that which I have personally verified, and I will neither receive nor give unauthorized assistance on examinations.
I will value the knowledge and wisdom of the physicians who have preceded me.
I will recognize my weaknesses and strengths and strive to develop those qualities that will earn the respect of my patients, my colleagues, my family, and myself.
I will respect eh humanity, right and decisions of all patients and will attend to them with compassion and without bias.
I will maintain patient confidentiality and be tactful in my words and actions.
I will value the diversity of patients' experiences, cultures and beliefs because it enhances my ability to care for them and enriches my education.
I will not forget that there is an art to medicine as well as a science and that warmth, sympathy and understanding are integral to patient care.
I will strive to earn the trust my patients place in me and the respect that society places upon my profession.
I will recognize the privileges afforded to me as a physician-in-training and promise not to abuse them.
Even as a student I have a responsibility to improve the standard of health in my community, to increase access to care for the underserved and to advance medical knowledge.
As I accept these new responsibilities, I will not forget the importance of my own health and well-being.
I will continue to value my relations with those who have supported me in the past and those who will share in my future.
Knowing my own limitations and those of medicine, I commit myself to a lifelong journey of learning how to cure, relieve and comfort with humility and compassion.
I make these promises solemnly, freely, and upon my honor.