Christmas in Niagara

Since we were not able to make it back to Utah to be with Family for the Holidays, Jason offered me the consolation of our own little get-away trip instead. So rather than presents this year Jason surprised me with a 3 day trip to Niagara Falls, Canada. We left Christmas Eve and stayed at the Niagara Falls Hilton.

It is the tallest Hotel in Niagara Falls and we had such amazing views of them right from our room.

When we checked in we were even upgraded to a Junior Suite and had more room in our Hotel than we do in our own apartment. Jason surprised me by bringing Christmas Lights and Stockings.

Combined with the fireplace, Christmas Pajamas from Jason's Mom, presents from home, and even an Alaskan Nativity scene from my sister (Thanks Kayli!!!) we were all set for our very own first Christmas. Christmas Day we woke up and opened presents together before heading to a huge breakfast buffet. We then headed straight to the pool!

Later that afternoon we set out to explore Niagara City and check out the falls up close.

They are so big and beautiful.

That night we went to Brasa, a Brazilian all you can eat place, for Christmas Dinner.

It was so much fun to relax and not worry about the stress of work or anything else. I love it when Jason plans things they are always so thought out and perfect! It was so much fun to spend so much time just with him and not have anything else going on. Thanks for a great Christmas baby!

December 15th, 2007

-Went to Christmas Concert with Family at Temple Square

-Stopped at Bountiful Mazda to look at new Mazda 3 for work

-Took a test drive with this guy:

-Told my Mom: "I'm going to marry that boy someday!"

-Smiled the rest of the night

FINALLY!!!!

I was driving to work friday morning, listening to my favorite morning show, when they announced that Michigan will be banning smoking in public places!

FINALLY!

I actually shouted for joy in my car! Yes, I was that excited over it!

When Jase and I first moved here we went out to dinner at Chilli's and they asked us "Smoking or Non-Smoking?" I looked at the hostess blankly, like it was some kind of joke question, until I realized she was serious. In my head I was like "Non-smoking! Are you kidding me? Why would you even ask me that?!" I couldn't remember the last time I had heard that.

The radio station continued to debate the pro's and con's of this law with many callers very upset. I think this is such a no brainer, and I am so relieved that I can go out to dinner with friends and not worry about coming home reeking of smoke, causing Jason to sleep on the opposite side of the bed. I cannot wait to go out and not have to constantly hold my breath, or make up excuses like "I have asthma" or "I'm pregnant" just to get people to stop smoking around me (Yes, I have done this!).

Michigan is the 38th State to pass this type of law, only 12 more to go!

Gross.

Go my favorite sports team Go!

Lions Vs. Packers

I tried surprising Jason with tickets to the Lions game for Thanksgiving, and by "tried" I mean I told him as soon as I found the tickets. We were both Packers fans at one point in our lives, and my favorite cozy blanket is currently Jason's Packer blanket that I have officially stolen from him. None the less we decided to cheer for the Lions, since we are currently "Michiganders". Guess who won? haha Poor Lions.

We had a great first Thanksgiving together. Of course we missed family, but it was so nice to spend so much time together. With our busy work schedules, and me always working weekends, having two days off in a row felt like a second Honeymoon!

Little Black (modest) Dress Party

Jason got us tickets to Detroit's 95.5 "Little Black Dress Party" this last friday. Jason loves the radio station 95.5 out here and I'll admit their morning show is by far the funniest and most entertaining morning show I've ever heard (sorry x96). They hosted the event at Sound Board inside the Motor City Casino Hotel. What an incredible venue! The Motor City is a place Jason and I have heard about and have been wanting to check out while we are here too. It was so much fun to dress up and get a private concert by IYAZ, Kristinia DeBarge, and Jason DeRulo. I didn't really know any of these artists prior to the concert, and I haven't been to many "Pop" concerts either. All I knew was Jason DeRulo's hit song "Whatcha Say" and the only reason I knew that song is because he "stole" the best parts from an Imogen Heap song, that I've been a big fan of for quite some time now. I was secretly hoping that Imogen Heap would randomly show up to perform the song with him. It didn't happen, but he still put on a great show. I picture him as an up and coming Usher. Jason tags along with me to all of my concerts so it was fun to go with him to something he was excited about. Plus I loved getting dressed up and having a night out on the town (a free one at that) with Jason!

Creepy Crawlies

Jason got quite the scare this Halloween when he found this guy hanging out on one of my shirts in our closet. He thought it was a broach at first (not sure why I would have a broach... let alone one that looks like this, but whatever). Anyways after spraying it with hairspray to see if it was a living thing and not a broach, he bravely "tomahawked" it with a shoe as it was running away. After much research to find out just what in the heck it was we've learned that we had our very own Scutigera Coleoptrata or House Centipede. Jase said it was the size of an iPhone. GROSS! My first reaction was that we were moving out right away and I have been creeped out ever since. These guys apparently eat all other bugs and some people keep them as "pets". Luckily they say if you kill the one you have than you most likely won't have any others because they can't coexist. Phew! Except since it's death we are now seeing spiders, and Jason is having a love hate relationship with this creeper... SICK

I heart Chicago.

I heart Friends.

I heart City Views.

I heart the Willis Tower.

I heart Cheese Cake Factory.

I heart the Shedd Aquarium.

I heart City Nights.

I heart Jamba Juice.

I heart Pizza.

I heart Jason.

Fridays

My Jason all to myself...

Taco bell....

Dunkin Donuts....

Baskin Robins....

and Hulu.com

Thank you Friday Nights

Decisions

We all know I have a very hard time with decisions, that and commitments. I finally got over part of the commitment phobia by actually getting married, but I still struggle with the decision end of things. My biggest one at the moment is jobs, employment, career, work, however you want to word it I just can't decide what I want to be when I grow up!

When we first moved here it took me about a month and a half to find a job.

I truly feel so blessed that I was able to find such a great family to Nanny for. Originally I didn't want to nanny again, but knew it was something I could always fall back on. No matter what the job market is, people always need other people to watch their kids. Knowing this was just a temporary position I think I was able to avoid my commitment issues when accepting this job. I still get to babysit Robbie and end up seeing them at least once a week. Jason and I have so much fun "playing house" and spending time with that family.

Anyways, I am now working at Goldfish Swim School, I've been there for just over two months now. I teach swim lessons and work at the front desk. I love it for the sole fact that I actually get to interact with people my age. At the same time, I've been told that I am overqualified for the job, there really is not much room for any more growth than I have already done, I barley get over 20 hours a week, and I'll be honest with you the pay is nothing to brag about.

That being said I've always known this was a good job to just hold me over till I could find something else. I have constantly been looking for that dream grown up job. One that challenges me and uses my hard earned college degree and one that I feel like I am really making a difference in. This job is apparently non-existent. I have however, found two different "executive" families that I could nanny for.

So it is decision time.

Do I go back to Nannying? I love the kids and interacting with them and all that goes along with that, but at the same time, I get so isolated out here when Jason and I have really no other friends or people our age to interact with. The pay is awesome. The hours are good. With the pay and hours put together I would be making over 3 times what I am making now.

But I have done the whole nanny bit, and part of me thinks... "I'm going to be raising kids for the rest of my life, if I want to work outside the home this is the last chance I'm going to have to do it." So with that thought in mind do I stay where I'm at? And continue looking for that dream job? Being able to put Goldfish and the experience I have gained there will have a greater impact on a resume than yet another Nanny position.

I also have the regret factor to worry about, if I decide to Nanny again, am I just going to get isolated and lonely again and regret leaving a work environment where I am surrounded by people every day. At the same time if I stay where I'm at am I going to constantly be thinking about the money that I am NOT making?

I know I really have no right to sit here and vent about this decision since there is a very large percentage of people in this area who would kill to have three job offers in front of them. I just can't figure it out. And I kinda need to, like tonight, so anyone out there want to tell me what to do?!

Depressed Detroit

You can take away their Jobs, their Homes, their Automotive World, but Detroit Pride is something else...

Grandma Beckstrand and our Utah Weekend

Jason's Grandmother, Jean Beckstrand, passed away on September 1st, 2009. We immediately began making arrangements to fly home that weekend for the funeral. It was hard to arrange flights, work, and all of the little details on such short notice but in the end it all worked out. We were able to spend about four days back in the great state of Utah with our family and friends. This was the first time we had been back to Utah in over 6 months and it was a much needed trip.

The Funeral services were held Saturday and it was such a great celebration of Grandma Beckstrands life. It was nice to gather with so much family and feel of all the love and support from everyone. We got to spend a lot of time with Jason's family over the weekend. We have really missed time with family and it was fun to be able to catch up and visit with every one again. Jason's sister Summer flew in from Colorado as well, we were sad that the rest of her family couldn't come with her but it was fun to have her with us. I love my sister-in-laws! It is so much fun to have all these new sisters and friends, I only wish we all lived closer together.

Over the weekend we got to spend time catching up with a few friends here and there. We had a lot of things we wanted to do and a lot of errands that we needed to get done while we were back in town. We were lucky to get most things done. Our trip was definitely to short and too overbooked but while we were there Jason and I made sure we ate at a few of our favorite restaurants that we don't have in Michigan... Cafe Rio, Jamba Juice, and Maggie Moos. We also went to Texas Roadhouse with all of Jason's family.

We were lucky in that it was Labor day weekend so we got

an extra day to spend with everyone. We spent time with Jason's Grandma and Grandpa Millward at their Ancestor party where we got to see a lot more extended family. We spent the afternoon up in Morgan with my family celebrating my Moms Birthday. My Brother Eric came home from Snow College and my Grandparents came down from Idaho to spend time with us as well. We tubed the Weber river and had a great BBQ while everyone was in town. This was Jason's first time tubing/kayaking the river with us. This is one of my favorite family activities and I was excited that Jason was finally able to do it with us. He wasn't a fan of the tubes though and after about two minutes traded me for a kayak. Tubes are the best, but not everyone can handle them. Jk

Last but not least we made sure to squeeze in hair cuts by our favorite stylist and friend ever, Marci! She is amazing and we just haven't found any one that compares to her out here in Michigan.

We want to thank everyone who worked around our schedules, changed their plans, and allowed us to come and visit with them on such short notice!

-Britt and Todd thanks again for letting us stay with you guys! We love little Kayson and still can't get over how big he has gotten!

-Grandma and Grandpa Morehead, Thank you so much for driving so far to see us. It means the world to us.

-Beckstrand Family thank you for all the food, fun, and for making us feel so at home again.

-Snyder Family- Thank you for being so flexible and understanding with our schedule. Thank you for the Sunday Dinner and the fun Monday!

-Grandma L- It was so great to see you and Grandpa Paul, and Paula too! Sorry it was such a quick visit!

-Emily and Jordan- Thank you for letting me come and stop by so late at night. I love your new home and your family so much! You guys are such a great example to us! Thank you!

It was a spur of the moment trip, and we wish we could have gone back under different circumstances but we are both grateful that we were able to spend time with family and be back in Utah for a few days. We love and miss all of you back home and can't wait till we can come back to visit again! In the mean time if anyone wants to head out this way...... hint hint! :)

6 months and 1 week

Jason and I have now been married for 6 months and one week! I am a little behind on the blogging I know...

It is hard to believe that 6 months has already gone by! At the same time it is so hard to imagine a time where he wasn't in my life.  The past six months have been pretty crazy and we have learned a lot about each other and life.  

We have lived in three different places now.  One in Park City, Ut and two in Michigan.  We have learned that driving for two days straight is a good way to test one another's patience.  We have learned that I have driving induced narcolepsy and if the car ride lasts longer than 10 minutes I fall asleep without fail.  Jason has learned that sometimes it is better to just let me sleep in order to not put up with my singing to my music. 

I have had three different jobs (not by choice).  We have learned that job hunting is not fun and that I get very bored and anxious when I do not leave the house for days on end.  We have learned that there is such a thing as too organized and that too much time on your hands can get you to that point rather quickly.

We have learned that even though there is a lot of dumb drama in singles wards they are a lot more fun and easier to make friends with than in family wards.  We have also learned that if you have children you get to be a part of a special club where you get together and talk about your children and set up play dates with your children and if you do not have children you get put into the "babysitter zone" and it is very hard to cross over from the babysitter zone to friend zone.  

We have also learned that there is nothing wrong with going to bed at 8:30 for the sole fact that there is nothing better to do.  We have learned that I like to lay in bed and talk about our day and our "feelings" while Jason likes to lay in bed and fall asleep within the first 5 seconds of conversation.  We have learned that I am a night person while Jason is a morning person.  Sleeping in for me means past 10 oclock.  Sleeping in for Jason means anything past 6:30am. 

We have learned that we have very opposite taste in clothes, and that Jason is much more fashionable than I am.  We have also learned that Jason can spend 15 minutes shopping and can come out with 5 things.  I can spend 5 hours shopping and be lucky to come out with more than one thing. 

We have learned that the fact that I am ten months older than Jason is a big deal and that while I see it as something to be kept a secret he loves to "brag" about the fact that he married an older woman.  We have also learned that my college degree, savings account, and other life accomplishment, trumps out his "my wife is older than me" speech. 

We have learned that even though it really means a lot to me when Jason cleans up or does laundry, I am still going to go back and do it all over again because I am that OCD.

We have learned that I can cook about 3 things other than Nachos.  We have learned that we are both creatures of habit and always end up ordering the same exact thing no matter where we go out to eat, and usually nachos are somehow involved.  

We have learned how to compromise.  We have learned that what may be important to one person may not be as important to the other.  We have learned to respect that we have differences.  We have learned that we are stronger and better off together than we are apart.  We have learned that there is such a thing as true love and that we are lucky to have found it.  We have gotten to travel and do and see so many fun things these past six months and there is no one else I would rather be doing all of these things with than Jason.  I love having my best friend to share my life with.  Even if it is just sitting at the lake reading books or watching our favorite shows or planning exciting trips that we have yet to take together.  I am absolutely more in love with Jason than I ever thought was possible and I know that those feelings are only going to continue to grow.  

For our Anniversary we went out to Bahama Breeze and ended up ordering the exact same thing we did when we went there for my birthday  (see... creatures of habit).  We also opened up our own bank account together and set up our IRA's for our retirement.  I guess if we can make it 6 months that means we should be good for the next 60 years right? :) I love you Jason and I am so excited to be on this journey with you. 

Woodward Dream Cruise

MSNBC.COM:  "At least 1

 million people turned out along Detroit’s fabled Woodward Avenue this weekend, hoping to get a glimpse of the estimated 50,000 to 60,000 muscle cars, hot rods and sports cars participating in the annual Woodward Dream Cruise...  the world's largest one-day celebration of car culture..." 

All I have to say in regards to the Dream Cruise is... WOW!!! Jason and I have been hearing about this "Dream Cruise" ever since we moved here.  Like most of you we had no idea what it was or what we were really in for. 

However, last weekend was one of the most exciting weekends/events we've seen in the Detroit area.  Woodward is an 8 lane main road that connects Detroit to its surrounding suburbs including where we are living.

Everything shutsdown for this event, the library, shops,  even the LDS Temple, almost everything located on Woodward is closed and the 16 mile stretch of road becomes one long amazing car show.  

People apparently bring their cars and lawn chairs from all over and either drive 

up and down the avenue or sit and watch the cars all day long.  Jason and I first got a glimpse of how big of a deal this was back over Memorial Day weekend when we first started seeing all the old Muscle Cars gather and drag along

 Woodward on saturday night.  Every Saturday night since than the grouping of cars has only grown larger and this past weekend they hit their max! I couldn't believe all the cars that turned out for this.  Friday night Jason and I decided to "cruise" Woodward and go check it all out.  

What would normally take us about thirty minutes took us almost 3 hours.  The amount of cars out was incredible! Sure there were a lot of people like us who were just driving to check things out, but the majority of the cars were anything from old restored Corvettes to

 brand new Ferraris.  

Saturday was a whole other story. They even shut down some of the surrounding roads so that people could park their cars and you can go and walk around and look at them.  People also lined the street watching all of the cars drive by.  We saw some pretty creative remake cars from movies and some crazy fast cars and some pretty expensive cars too.

It was such a fun and exciting weekend and I'm not even a "car person".

Holland

Well Jason did it again... He some how found a way to top my last birthday.  Last year he surprised me by picking my up in a limo and taking me up the canyon to Log Haven for dinner (among other gifts).  I told him last year that he had outdone himself and would never be able to top it.  But as always he was very tricky and sneaky and managed to make this years birthday even better,  by surprising me with a trip to Holland! 

Holland, Michigan that is.  It is a small Dutch town on Lake Michigan.  I'd been telling him I wanted to go check it out for quite some time now, and all the while he had already booked the reservations and planned it all out.  We left early Saturday morning and drove the two and a half hours west.  Jason spoiled me all weekend by doing all the things I love doing!  We spent the morning walking around a large art fair and going to see the last authentic dutch windmill left in the U.S.  and of course the beach.  I couldn't believe how beautiful the beach was.  You would have thought you were in California.  Waves and everything.  It threw me off every time I got knocked over by a wave and didn't come up spitting salt water out of my mouth.   It was so nice to relax on the beach together and watch the ocean, I mean lake waves, and the surfers and crazy boaters.  It was a pretty cloudy day and eventually started raining on us, so after the beach we went and checked into our hotel.  We stayed at The CityFlats Hotel right in town.  It was the coolest place I have ever stayed!    The whole hotel is very "green" and eco friendly.  From the soaps to the carpet to toilets.  Not that Jason and I are big greenies or anything but it was super cool and had a very fun and modern feel to it.  We had a suite that was bigger than our apartment with a huge bathroom, living room, and kitchen.  Not to mention Jasons favorite part, the two large flat screen TV's with surround sound through out the entire suite.  In an effort to save money Jason and I decided to do away with paying for cable so we have been with out TV for quite a while now.  It was the first thing he turned on when we walked in and we spent the afternoon watching the X games and waiting for the rain to stop.  Later that night we walked around downtown, had dinner at the New Holland Brewery Co. (we only drank the water I promise!) , and got ice cream at a little fudge shop.  The next day the weather was perfect!  After checking out of our hotel we went to a little dutch shop where they make and sell all sorts of dutch things, including wooden shoes.  Than it was back to the beach! It was such a perfect day and we spent hours laying on the beach and playing in

the water.  The drive home seemed to last forever, I in no way wanted to go back and start another week in the real world.  I love being able to spend so much time with Jason and I always have so much fun with him no matter what we are doing.  He is so great to me and I truly appreciate all that he does for me.   He also got me a gym pass to the gym he works out at and new gym clothes, among other things.  Spoiled, I know...  

For my actual birthday (two days later) we went out to dinner at a restaurant, I had been wanting to try, called Bahama Breeze.  When we got there I was surprised to find out that the family I nanny for had come back early from their trip in order to surprise me and join us for my birthday.  It was such a fun night spent with my wonderful husband and "Michigan Family",  they even got me a yummy TCBY cake with my name on it and everything.  Even though I miss my friends and family back home very much I feel so blessed to be able to share this adventure here in Michigan with Jason and to have met such a wonderful family who has done so much for both myself and Jason.