Part Time Job - Yes!

So, not only did our hometeacher help get the ball rolling for our missionary experience with Ken, he also helped me get a job! I'm grateful for hometeachers! Especially good ones! He works and owns Canterberry Assisted Living. It's a place for elderly people to live, but it's not a rest home. There are 8 residents and most of them are functioning and doing well. They have to be able to recognize and get out of the house on their own when there is an alarm. So my job is to cook, clean, give medication, visit with them, and help with any other things. It's fun to be with them. I got trained this last week and will be on my own tomorrow. I usually work 8-8 once or twice a week. It's great for me right now. I'm still hoping to get some full-time work with some more hours and benefits, but I'm so grateful to have something right now. It's a bleak job search with our economy right now. So anything is better than nothing!

Fun Missionary Experience

It all started with our hometeacher - he came over and gave us a message about missionary work. A few days after that Matthew and I went to the Draper open house a few weeks ago, and after we went through it I told him that is such a good missionary tool! People who can't yet go to the temple are curious about what it's like inside, so having an open house is a great opportunity to let them see. While we were going through the temple I kept thinking about Ken Clark, a man I taught on my mission. I called him up and told him about the open house and that I wanted to take him. He said he was glad I called, and it just so happened that he would be in Utah the next week! That's not just coincidence. So yesterday, he spent some time at Temple Square - Yes! Then he came with us to the open house. It was such a neat experience. It was so fun to see him. It had been over 2 years since I had seen him. As we went through the temple I got to explain the basic functions in each room. I felt like a missionary again - it was awesome!! Afterwards he took us out to Olive Garden - yummy! We all sure enjoyed it. So, if there's someone you know that would benefit from going - I recommend taking them - it's a fabulous experience.

Thank you Photoshop!

We had a FABULOUS photographer for our wedding - Meredith Carlson (Merephoto.com). We loved our pictures from her.
There was one picture that I loved, but just didn't like the background. See that funny looking man in the background (not my husband). So with my expanding skills and knowledge in Photoshop, I thought I'd put myself to the test.






Here are the before and after photos of my most recent photoshop practices.
Yeah! No more funny looking man in the background!













Another practice image for me was one of Natalie's engagement pictures. She had a hair in her face, so I looked at taking it out. Here are the before and after pictures of that one.












Thank you Photoshop!!

Draper Temple

Matthew, Jeannine, Alisha and I got up bright and early this morning (for us anyway) to go to the Draper Temple open house. It was so neat to be able to go and walk through that temple. We are so blessed to have so many temples close by. That is definitely something I take for granted. The Celestial room was gorgeous! My favorite room and the room I felt the spirit the strongest was in the Sealing room. It reminded me of when Matthew and I were sealed. What a blessing that is in our lives. I am so grateful for temples and the sacred ordinances done there.
The outside reminds me of the conference center. All of you living close by I hope you get a chance and take some time to go to the open house!

Photoshop surprise!

I've been learning Photoshop lately. Here are a couple of things I worked on briefly with my beginning Photoshop skills. It was fun to play around a little bit with things and learn how things work. I still have much to learn but am excited to become better!

Hey Bud!

We had Dustin and Alicia over for dinner the other night. It's always fun to see them - especially JJ! What a cutie! He is walking all over the place now, has the cutest smile and funniest little laugh!

Movie and a bowl of cereal

Matthew and I enjoyed Spiderman on their family's big screen last night with a scrumptious bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I just had to show you the bowls Matthew got for our cereal! Gotta love that crunch!





Here's some that Matt sneaked of me

Christmas Pics

Here are some fun/random pictures of Christmas - we had so much fun hanging out with our families - playing games, watching movies, making sushi, making ice cream, shoveling snow, eating yummy foods, remembering the Savior, going to Rockapella concert, making and receiving gifts, etc. I love families! and family time!

Job Hunt

The search continues...

50 Applications, A second interview for 1 job, 8 Job declines, and 20 hours later. I'm still looking for a job. If you have suggestions, please let me know..

Thanks!

Wedding Dress Shopping

Matthew's sister Karissa is soon to be engaged. So yesterday we went wedding dress shopping. Brittany and I found the perfect Bridesmaids dresses - I just had to show it off! More like I found the UGLIEST dress and weirdest fitting dress I have ever seen. One question - who would buy one of these??!!!

Merry Christmas to us!

New Camera!!!

My camera broke a couple of months ago, so our Christmas present to each other was a new camera! We love it! Matthew wanted me to wrap our camera. I told him he could do it, but then I wrapped it trying to trick him into thinking I got him something extra for Christmas. He wrapped up a mirror so we could open that. That explains the following video. Last year for Christmas Matthew got me a mini tripod. We were greatly saddened when our little tripod broke on our honeymoon. So Matthew surprised me with 2 new mini tripods! Yes! Now we can take lots of pictures again!