Joe's 30th Birthday

My Jo Joe turned the big 3-0 June 21st. He had to work 3-11 that night, so I delivered a balloon bouquet  at his work, and then I tried to have his birthday cake ready for him when he came home....don't mind his clothes..... We didn't do much, but I hope that he knows how much he means to me!! He always makes me laugh, is always singing and dancing whenever he gets the chance, and people seem to be drawn by his friendly personality. He is an amazing person, with a strong testimony, righteous desires, and he loves me!! How did I get so lucky?

A Brief Update...

Joe and I are doing really well. We have been pretty busy with school, applying for jobs, job training, and all of that funs stuff :0) I thought I had downloaded pics of the apartment and other fun...will have to paste later.

1. Joe finished the Spring Semester with all A's!! We were excited and pleased to put on his radiology program application here at CSI 104.5 points out of a maximum of 108.

2. Joe had his Radiology program interview last week and he felt confident that it went well. Now it's just the wait to hear back. They said it should be this week. I tell him that he is spoiled compared to my experience at Weber State.

3. I was rejected for financial aid spring semester. It was pretty devastating considering we were totally relying on the grants and loans to pay for school and expenses. However, I had my family fast and pray with Joe and I, and I am very grateful to say that I received a full ride scholarship for Spring, Summer, and now Fall semesters!! Seriously a miracle and blessing to have that and not add to the student loans. However, it makes finances tight, but what a huge blessing!!

4. I received a radiology technologist job at North Canyon Medical Center in Gooding, ID (about a 45 min drive north west). Although I only pick up vacation and sick hours, I am grateful to have it on my resume to keep my skills up. So I do x-rays and am learning CT. It is pretty intense, but a fun experience. I hope to add US on that list, though it like they want me to focus on CT for right now. I only have one shift for June, and hoping for more!!

5. Joe has had a few job options that have come up. We keep hoping for a job that offers benefits, but to no avail. However, we are just grateful to find a full time job, even if it is graveyards as well. So believe it or not, we are profoundly grateful and hope that it will be a nice fit for him and his schedule.

6. We adopted a cat the first week of April. LOL, her name was Zippy, but Joe and I didn't fall in love with the name. So we thought as long as it sounded like Zippy, we might get away with another name. We came up with Silky, from her superly soft fur and after the character I was a couple of Halloweens agon when I was Miss Silky Adams. We absolutely LOVE her. She is a calico, mostly white (blast black!!) and has such a sweet spirit. We joke around that she isn't a cat but a dog instead. she loves to snuggle and give love squeezes. She is going to be 3 this July, and has already been potty trained, received shots, and has been neutered. Silky is a perfect fit for us. Especially for me when Joe works nights and is gone. He now has a new appreciation for the hours I put in at ICU, and I have a new appreciation for him being home alone, and sleeping at nights alone. We have only had 2 years this June 26th, but it's amazing how much you adjust to the comforts!!

7. I turned 31 years May 18th, AHHH!! Pretty crazy for me, but for some reason, I always add a year, so I feel like I have been 31 years old for awhile ;0)

8. Joe turns 30 years old June 21st...LOL I happened across our wedding license, and it has him down as 27 years old and me 29... I love my younger man and wouldn't have it any other way.

9. Our 2 year anniversary is coming up June 26th. It seems like longer than that, but that is a good thing. Joe's dad, Gary, told Joe that we seem like kindred spirits, and I have to agree. We are so much alike and just love to be together that I couldn't be happier. What a huge blessing in my life that my sister in law Rachel had such a wonderful cousin. That she invited him to spend some time with the family a few years ago. That my brother Kevin invited him to learn more about the Gospel. That he received a witness of the truefulness of the Gospel and of the Restoration in the John Johnson farm in Hyrum, OH. That he was baptized, and accepted the life changes that came with membership. And most importantly, that he chose me to be married for eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. We have a lot of work to do, and will need to continue to do more, but what a profound difference that has made in our lives, and hopefully in the lives of our posterity.

10. Joe was called as the fourth Sunday Elder's Quorum teacher, which he loves. He enjoys reading the conference talks and learning more about the principles taught by Modern Prophets. I was called as the Young Women's Secretary and feel very overwhelmed but excited. It is a totally different calling then I have ever had before. Luckily it's just the secretary, so I don't have as many obligations as the others. But it is fun to be challenged and do new things.

We hope all is going really well with all of you. As I used to write in my missionary letters to home, and for some reason it feels right here, God bless!!

Spring Break Continued...

So the pillows weren't enough...in fact, it just opened up Pandora's Box. I had some blocks left over from when I was trying to decide on what I wanted for my quilt that I have now. Along with some fabric that I had left over from the jelly rolls....I decided to make a Twin sized quilt. So therefore, the Benzo block was continued on to this quilt.



I was excited with how it turned out. And the best part of all...it was from everything that I already had. And I still had some extra fabric, so I decided to try another block I had seen on a blog, and make a crib sized quilt...



No, that isn't an announcement. In fact, Joe and I joked around that I have cursed us of ever being able to have a girl...we will probably end up having boys instead. I had so much fun!! By the time I was done with these projects, I must admit that I was quilted out...for now anyways.

Spring Break...

During my spring break, I got to play and do whatever I wanted. I love to do crafts and it has been since I was dating Joe that I worked on quilts. In fact, the quilt on our bed was one I started working on Fall of 2009 and finished February 2010. But by the time the lady finished quilting it, I decided to save it for after we were married. I had some fabric to make pillows, and so I went at it...and went a little bit overboard... 

But I enjoyed myself, and that is what counts, right? And these were pillow cases I embroidered for one of my Young Women's project.

I thought everything together looked great....minus the fact that Joe hates messing with the pillows....But I LOVE our bed!!

Our adopted feline, Miss Silky

Since we moved to Twin Falls, I wanted to get a pet. So the first weekend of April, I tease Joe again about getting a cat....and he gave in!! I was so shocked, and knowing that if I waited too long in getting one, he might change his mind. But due to our crazy schedules, and the fact that we spend weekends away from home, we decided that a cat that was potty trained would be our best bet. We REALLY wanted a puppy, but having a puppy at home 9 hours straight, might spell out disaster! After looking for a cute kitten....we ended up finding an adorable 2 year old cat named Zippy. However, we didn't like the name, but she seemed to respond to it. So we tried a few different names that sounded like it, and came up with Silky...her fur is so soft, thick, and silky! So here she is, the perfect pet for us, Miss Silky..

We absolutely love her. She is one of the sweetest cats ever. We always joke around that she is our dog, because she is so cuddly, fun, and attentive animal. Here she is, with a ball of yarn that I gave her. We would wake up to the front living room covered in yarn....the chairs and coffee table wrapped around multiple times. LOL I would wrap the yarn up in a ball again, just to do it again a few hours later.

Visit to Ohio!!

My mom, sister (Stephanie) and I decided to fly to Ohio for the weekend. Unfortunately, our husbands all had school or work, but we were excited to see Kevin, Rachel and the kids. Due to activities and scheduling, we didn't get to see everyone, but we were glad to get what we could take.

We went to a Chinese restaurant...

Benjamin ate frog legs and clams...

Adam and Grandma ate garlic shrimp (Adam LOVES shrimp)...

Caleb ate noodles...

And we all enjoyed every bite!!

We also went to the Cincinatti Zoo. But, as always, I forgot to bring my camera. So I will post when I get copies from Stephanie. So much fun and so much variety.

On Sunday, we decided to make a quick trip to Kirtland. What a great way to spend a Sunday. This was Stephanie's first visit, and I am so glad that we went. the 4 1/2 hour one way trip was worth it...

The plot that my Great Grandfather Vinson Knight lived on. The corner of Cowdery Street and Joseph Street...

The bend of the river were my Great Grandfather Anson Call was baptized at...

The Newel K. Whitney Store...this is my personal favorite place since I visited when I was 19...

The John Johnson Farm, the location of many spiritual experiences, along with being the place that Joe gained his testimony of Joseph Smith, and knew he needed to get baptized...

It was a blast to be with my family again!! I enjoyed them all so much. We played indoor games, played glove tag (we threw gloves folded together instead of a ball), and had a lot of time laughing about memories. I am so grateful for my family and the love that we have for one another. LOVE YOU!!

Here is a pic of a bird that slept outside of the front door. He was so stinkin' cute!!

Twin Fall, Idaho....here we come!!

Phew, we finally made it!! After a lot of plan A's, B's, C's, and even D's fell through for us, a plan E magically appeared!! So we were able to move to Twin Falls, Idaho where my ultrasound clinicals are and Joe can attend his classes on campus instead of online. It worked out for both of us and we are very grateful!! When I was doing my first week of clinicals January 9-11, Joe was sweet enough to go apartment shopping. He went to quite a few and was nervous to go without me. However, we found a basement apartment in Buhl, which is about 14 miles west of Twin Falls. We were kind of excited to move to a little town, and were beyond excited of having only one ward meet in a building....that would be a guarantee of 10:00 church every year for us!!

We were beyond excited and organized a moving crew to meet up with us Saturday, which entailed Sally and Phil (Joe's mom and brother). We packed up the U-Haul from a storage unit we had in Twin Falls, and headed to Buhl...just to realize that the steps were way too steep to get furniture in, let a lone the washer and dryer through the bathroom door...YIKES!! Needless to say, we were frustrated. Our neighbor didn't help with the issue...lighting up a bombfire to burn his garbage and blasting AC/DC. Note: his home is a mobile home and a shack... He hangs out outside everytime we come and it's FREEZING outside. Doesn't give the warmest feelings...

So we ended up bunking with Sally and Phil at the Super 8, and we looked for more options on Craigslist....just to find a treasure!! We called them at 8:30 pm and was able to see the apartment Sunday at 11:00...to sign the contract and get the key!! Our U-Haul had to be back by 2:30 or we would get an additional $40 charge. So Joe and Phil were brutes and got the job done by 2:15!! Beyond impressive and what a miracle!! We really thought we were out of luck, but have been beyond blessed.

Interesting note: the landlord said that the building was built in 1905 (it has 4 apartments) and was the original first Catholic Church in the city. How fun is that!?! Our front room/kitchen has high ceilings and the front entry way is the original wood floor....I am in LOVE!! LOL, so was Sally and Phil. It is quirky, cute, and homey. I will post pictures as soon as we get the boxed out of the way and moved in...which could be a LONG time ;0)

Our new address is:
501 2nd Ave. East Apt. #1
Twin Falls, ID 83301

Christmas Card 2011

Last year we wanted to do a Christmas card with pictures of the year. But things got to busy and I didn't get it done. This year, a last minute quick project, I put one together for us and my parents. And yes....after we printed out the cards I realized that I misspelled "Merry"...but that is how I roll!! LOL, we truly hope that you all have a Merry Christmas. Love ya!!

A quote to think about...

“If I do not know the will of my Father, and what He requires of me in a certain transaction, if I ask Him to give me wisdom concerning any requirement in my life, or in regard to my own course, or that of my friends, my family, my children, or those that I preside over, and get no answer from Him, and then do the very best that my judgement will teach me, He is bound to own and honor that transaction, and He will do so to all intents and purposes.”

― Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses: Volume 3

I just thought this was a perfect quote....I wanted to remember it and thought I would share it with others...

A new update....

Wow, it has been a crazy long time since I have posted...All that I can say is...Life is crazy!! So here are some updates on us:

1. In July, after a lot of discussion and prayer, Joe decided to change his major to Business Management with an emphasis in Sports Management. Therefore, ISU was the closest University that offered that Major. Therefore, we needed to move to Idaho, and I would have to change my clinical site for Ultrasound...

2. After contacting my program's advisor at Weber State, I contacted the hospitals on her list and finally found out that I was accepted into St. Luke's in Twin Falls. Not our first choice, but with the short notice and possibility for both of us to do what we needed to do for school, we felt blessed.

3. We were beyond sad to quit working at Vivint together. Joe had been there since April 2010, and I started working there this year in April. We had desks right next to eachother....what a blast to work with your best friend!! I loved going to work with him :0) Also, after 6 1/2 years working at American Fork Hospital, I put in my notice. What a sad time!! I have loved my time at this hospital and have so many people that I love there. However, in all reality, it's pretty small and with not a lot of overturn. People that work there have been there for years, and will plan on dying there....since the economy downturn, nobody retires!! Therefore we felt that it was probably a blessing to cut the cord and try something new.

4. Since we were going to loose insurance, Joe and I decided to do a quick checkup to the dentist.....yuck!! Not my favorite people!! Joe had to have all four of his wisdom teeth pulled, and I had to have a root canal. I was peived!! I have been going to the dentist every 6 months for 6 years, and have a clean bill of health. And now a root canal....whatever!! Long story, and a few specialists later, I finally have my crown. I NEVER want to see another dentist again. I kindof think I will take my dad's advice, you don't go to the dentist then you don't have anything wrong ;0)

5. Kevin came for a visit for a few days. We were sad to not see the rest of the family, but with how far Ohio is, the price of so many plane tickets, and asking for time off for Rachel (she is a RN), we were pretty excited to see him at least. My family hadn't seen him since we were married, so it was good. And the best part of all of it, was he helped us move!!

6. Moving.....I always have dreaded moving, but it's a constant thing in our lives. However, considering everything, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Kevin, my mom, and Stephanie came and helped us pack, clean, and move everything. We are so blessed to have such a great family. Now we are renting a storage unit at Twin Falls...it could get ugly when we have to move out...Maybe we can hope for another visit from a older brother....or any other takers!! ;0)




7. We are living in the basement of my parents' home in Arimo, Idaho while we figure things out. Due to it being such a quick decision, we didn't have time to find jobs or an apartment. But we are so grateful to them for letting us stay there for a few months. It's been nice and we have enjoyed the time. In August between my classes, we were able to get buddy passes from Joe's cousin, Sarah, and we flew to Ohio!! We were excited to see the kids, Rachel, and Kevin. They are growing up so fast...it kills me!! What a fun time, we were there 18 days and had a wonderful experience. We spent time on the wii with the boys, watched movies with Beth, and went to the Columbus temple (where Joe received his endowments). We went to a Reds game, toured downtown Cincinnati, and ate at a few favorite spots for Joe (Chicago Gyros, Penn Station, White Castle, and Rally's). Fun, fun, FUN!!

8. I am in the Weber State Ultrasound program. Therefore, once a month for 2-3 days we drive to Ogden. I am beyond stressed and worried about the program. I am hoping that one of these days it will finally click for me and I will understand it all. I remember feeling worried about the xray program, but then one day at clinicals it finally clicked and I lovced it!! The first semester we only take classes. I am taking 18 credits.....YIKES!! The second semester we will take classes and do 24 hours of clinicals a week. It's going to be intense, but it will be over December 2012, so that's going to be worth it....right?!?!!

9. Joe is taking courses via CSI online that will transfer directly over to ISU. They have an agreement with eachother, so we are excited about that.

10. And Joe had an interview with Allstate in Pocatello, which could be a huge blessing!! The pay is pretty great for this area, offers insurance, and tuition reimbursment (after 1 year of working, but it all adds up). So far we haven't had a lot of bites with our job applications. So we are praying that this works out. With the time I spend in studying, doing homework and taking tests, I probably won't be able to work and do this program....sad...so this job would be a blessing for the both of us.

Well, we hope that all is going well with you!! We love ya all, and send our best of wishes your way :0) I will post pictures soon....