End of 2013 year Catch Up

So...I'm completely horrible at this blog thing, but I try. Its been since April this time, so not too bad...ha. Last I wrote was about going back home for Lindsey and Jordan's wedding. They now have been married 8 months. Crazy how time goes by so fast!! Well now that its the new year, I thought I'd do a little catch up on the rest of how 2013 went.
     APRIL 2013
          -After we got back from the wedding, Chad and I decided to try a non-dairy diet to see how it made us feel with our stomachs and everything. It was alright but man it was hard! I started realizing there was milk, cheese, cream or just dairy in like everything, things I would have never guessed too! Well we started to feel like we were lacking something and lets be honest, we cheated every once in awhile but we did pretty good for those two weeks and then realized we needed to do something else, we just didn't know what yet...
     MAY 2013
          -Was my biggest accomplishment this year, I interviewed at only a couple schools and I got a full time elementary school teacher job at Fox Hollow Elementary in the Jordan School district for First grade!! I was super excited and super nervous! I really wanted to teach a little bit older, like third grade, but of course I wouldn't turn down the job, and I knew I would learn to love first grade, and I do!                                  -Saw Dave Coulier's show (Joey from Full House) at a comedy club in West Valley with Morgan, I made her go with me...haha.
           -I took on a long-term sub job for a HORRIBLE sixth grade class, and I mean it, they were bad. Already scared away 3 or 4 substitutes that were suppose to stay for the rest of the school year, the principal even had to come in and sub for a few days. They asked me to come in and sub for the last 3 weeks and it was tough. The kids were super rude to me, I've never been mean but I had to be to these kids and sent kids to the office every so often. They thought they could get away with anything and even told me later on they tried to get me to quit as well, but I told them I was in it till the end no matter what. They finally started to shape up a little bit. And it was really tough because the real teacher left NO lesson plans and only a few worksheets to do each week, so I was completely doing my own thing, and that was a first for me. Kind of got me prepared for my own classroom a bit though, even though it'd be first graders...
     JUNE 2013
          -Lindy came from California to visit, and I hadn't seen her since student teaching, she came and stayed with us for a couple nights and we went to the zoo and such.
          -Went to lagoon with Scott, Jenna, Lindsey and Jordan during a clogging competition! fun to see.
          -The triplets graduated from high school and I just couldn't believe it! I wanted to go to their graduation really bad, but couldn't :(.
          -Met up with some of the Langlois at the MTC to send Eric off on his mission to Italy!
          -I joined Chad's family plan and finally got my first iphone!
          -Man of Steel came out, and of course Chad and I had to go see the midnight showing because we are big superman fans!
          -I acquired my obsession of Menchies frozen yogurt.
          -Got one of the worst sunburns I have ever had being outside at our apt's pool reading Harry Potter.
          -First soccer game RSL vs. Seattle Sounders
          -Farmers market with best bud Morgan.
          -Went ice skating with Chad, Morgan and her date. It was so much fun in the summer! never have done that before.
          -Went to Tanner Benson's mission farewell up in Park City with Chad's family.
     JULY 2013
          -Spent some of the 4th partying with Jenna and Scott Haight at their house, BBQ, swimming, and setting of fireworks!
          -Went up to Logan for the 4th and had a BBQ with Megan's family, visited my great-grandpa Jake, which was going to be for the last time and I didn't know at the time. Met up the Coggins family and visited with them for awhile at grandpa's and then at Frank's. Went to the fireworks show at Chad's old high school with Dennis and Megan.
          -Finally got to make it to Flaming Gorge this year with Chad's side of the family. Trish got all her kids to come out to camp with us for those few days and it was lots of fun! Finally met Ryan, the last of the Knackstedt siblings to meet. Camp fires, smores, swimming, cliff jumping, boating, tubing, river rafting, and family! It did rain a little bit which was too bad, but we still had lots of fun! And we took awesome family pictures!
          -It was Mine and Chad's second anniversary!! We didn't get to do much anything tho b/c...
          -I had to get another colonoscopy, I think my 4th time, as just a check up on things. Not very fun so I had to do the prepping the day of our anniversary I believe. Then they found an abscess the size of a golf ball in my rectum and so I had to get that drained within the next couple days. Had to miss my new teacher training because I had to get this done. Went into surgery, took FOREVER at the hospital waiting to go in. I got to put on this really uncomfortable plasticy hospital gown but awesome because  it had a thing to blow warm air into you since its always freezing there. After hours and hours of waiting with Trish, the surgery went totally fine and I had to go to school for the beginning of school meeting the very next day! And on pain killers. It was interesting, and of course couldn't really do much to set up my classroom that day, but I felt fine.
          -Trevor drove from Denver the day I had my surgery, suppose to be no problem with timing, he ended up making it to my place before I got back because it was taking so long to get me in. Carrie came in later that evening and they spent the weekend with us.
          -Had to set up my classroom because school was starting the very next week. Chad helped one day, Trish helped another for a bit but I mainly had to do most of it myself while feeling super noxious which was just horrible. But I made it through.
          -School started the 25th, and got to meet all my kiddos and their parents.
     AUGUST 2013
          -Prepared for my very first sub and headed back home to Seattle for Haley and Spencer's wedding. I was a bridesmaid and it was so much fun to be there! Just wish it could have been longer than just the weekend.
          -Met back up with Ned for the first time being back from his mission! Great to catch up.
          -Was at school for just 3 weeks and was the first track to go off, so then I had a three week break from school which was nice after just starting my very first school year to be able to plan and catch back up on things.
          -Great Grandpa Fuhriman passed away so Trevor flew out and we drove up to Logan together for the funeral and met up with all our family which was fun to be with but for a sad time. We even stayed in Grandpa's house for the last time probably. Crazy amount of people and family around. My dad and Scott Fuhriman couldn't be there because they were already on a planned prepaid fishing trip in Alaska, so that was kinda a bummer.
         -Chad started his first day of school at Salt Lake Community College to take the basic EMT course this semester.
          -Lindsey and Jordan came and visited for night coming back from their trip to the Grand Canyon and staying with his family.
          -Went on KSL, saw ads for free kittens, one really close to where we live, went and stopped by and picked one out. Took our little new baby kitten Norbert home with us Aug. 30th. We found out later he was only 5 1/2 weeks old!... He was so tiny, so cute, so curious, and so vocal!
          -Got to visit Sarah and Benson after his surgery with Kelsey Atherton in Daybreak while they were here.
     SEPTEMBER 2013
          -Miriam and Ryan blessed their baby girl Winnie and we all got to go to that together.
          -Picked up Logan at the airport and stayed with us for a night, Sept. 4th took him to say goodbye to friends and fam who came (Jonny Dance, Jordan Chin, Riley Coggins) and skyped our family one last time for him and sent him off to the MTC.
          -Baby shower for Katrina in Kaysville and got to see and be with old Cougar Mountain friends.
          -Went to the General RS Conference at the Conference center with Miriam, Trish, and Bekah. Not knowing it would be the last one that was just Relief Society and also not knowing we would become famous on the website for the article to tell about that because we were in the picture for the church! haha
     OCTOBER 2013
          -Finally got to meet up with Page and meet her cute daughter Ryleigh. We went to dinner and then stalked Logan's house because his area where he is at right now is in Lehi. We didn't see him but took pictures of his house though.
          -Courtney and Sierra came down for a weekend to visit and stayed with me. We went to General Conference but too late so we watched it in the visitor's center, which was actually really nice. And Lindy came and met up with us. Afterwards walking around temple square I ran into Sister Katrina Opeda, my old roommate on a mission at temple square and that was awesome and random since I was just thinking of her! And got to see Becca Clarke for a bit as well.
          -Norbert went to the vet for the first time. Lots of horrible experiences. Doctor grabbed him right off the bat from his scruff, so he definitely didn't like that. We learned Norbert doesn't like strangers and hisses at them a lot. He's not mean but is very defensive and is an Alfa male and is very stubborn. Vet charged me for a check up when they couldn't his temperature and other things because Norbert was being feisty. Then the tech lady asked if she could just take my payment here so I don't have to leave the room and she ended up swiping the card and signing it for me and everything and I never gave her permission and I thought that was really weird... Then they gave me a paper and diagnosed him with Behavior Problems, which I didn't like because he is totally fine with us, not liking the doctor is very understandable. Anyways, A Gentle Vet turned out to not be very gentle and we are not going back there!
          -Went to Frightmares at Lagoon with Ned and gf Kenzie. So much fun!
          -Farmers market with Chad
          -Caught a random cat in our church building and tried to find the owner...ha.
          -Fun pumpkin patch and petting zoo with Chad
          -Dressed up as Dorothy and the rest of the first grade teachers were other characters from the Wizard of Oz. I was so proud of myself for making my enitre costume and glitter shoes. That night went to Nightmare on 13th haunted house with Scott, Trish, Den, Meg, and Chad as our second annual Halloween tradition.
     NOVEMBER 2013
          -Hiked the Y then went to the BYU creamery with Lindy.
          -BYU BBall game with Morgan and saw my parents across the way.
          -My parents came to visit for my dad's business and then I drove back to Bellevue with them since I got off track and spent my birthday back at home. First time being the only child at home. Got to spend time with friends and family and just chill. Drove back with them to Idaho to meet up with my siblings and Chad (not Carrie and Trevor tho :( ) for Thanksgiving at a cabin my dad rented in Island Park. It was lots of fun to just hang out and chill with the fam and then I went back with Chad. Norbert grew so much while I was gone for about 2 weeks!
     DECEMBER 2013
          -Branch Christmas party and then went and brought by some candy for Ella's birthday turned 7!
          -Clogging Christmas show down in Lindon, Chad came to watch and Ned and Kenzie did too! First real performance I've had in a long time...
          -Set up the Christmas tree and Norbert was loving it and we were not....
          -Got to do a lot of fun Christmassy things at school with my kids like make ornaments and decorate the school tree, make crafts, Polar Express day with PJs, whole school sing-a-long...
          -Got to meet up with Shannon Stapley on her birthday since her flight got snowed in so I picked her up and we went around City Creek.
          -Started Chad's Christmas stocking that takes forever long! But I still enjoy it.
          -Had a great Christmas Eve at Bekah and Lee's for a nice meal and Christmas Eve traditions like reading the night before christmas, watching a video, watching them open their pjs and gifts from Trish..
          -Chad and I had a very great Christmas! I was sad because I was suppose to go visit Austin in Arizona before she goes back to Italy but it was just expensive and the times werent working out well, so instead Chad used that money and bought me a snowboard since I've been wanting one and he wanted me to get one and it is awesome!! I love it. I just need to know how to snowboard well. haha. but hopefully we can go often. We got to skype for a bit with Logan, even tho he's only 15 minutes away from me, and with the whole family. We went over to Trish and Scott's where Bonnie and Ralph came and we hung out for a bit and then went to go see a movie, we saw Saving Mr. Banks and it was really good!
          -I've been wanting to go on the horse carriage ride downtown for a long time now and Chad took me this year and got to see the lights around Temple Square and it was really fun and actually not too cold either.
          -Got to meet up with my best buddy from the BYUI dorms Lesley because she was in town visiting her sister who just had a baby. We chatted for over 2 hours at Costa Vida but it was so much fun to see her!
          -My grandpa Lyle Fackrell passed away new years eve and it was really sad but I am glad that he does not have to be suffering from his dimensia any longer and he is free from that and in a better place now. I am so grateful for the gospel and plan of salvation, knowing that we will all be able to see him again. He was 94 years old I believe, almost as old as my great grandpa was. He was a very great man and we have all had so many great memories of him. Love you Grandpa!
          -Chad and my first New Years Eve we've really got to spend together after 3 years of not being able to. Chad got off work and we drove up into the Herriman mountains, not really sure where we were going or what we'd find but wanted to get up higher to see a good view over the valley. And we did. We got to see several firework shows going off and it was lots of fun! It started to snow a tiny bit too. I had my first midnight new years kiss and I am so glad it was with the love of my life! Happy New Years!! Wahoo 2014!

Well that was my extremely long journaling catch up that I have been meaning to do forever. Here's to 2014 and hoping I can stay more on top of my blog from now on ;) Happy New Year!!!

       

Seattle for Lindsey's Wedding

Lindsey Fuhriman got married Thursday April 18, 2013. Chad and I flew in on Monday to join the rest of the family. With delays from weather and then maintenance problems we finally made it. My parents picked us up at the airport then went straight to eat at Red Robin, yum! It was good to be home again for a few days and to see everyone.

On Tuesday Trevor, Carrie, Jordan and I went to see Snoqualmie Falls. It was beautiful! Chad was out shopping for Italian cream soda stuff with my mom and Lindsey was at a dentist appt. Then we all went to lunch, us three young couples. Afterwards I went back to my old high school, Newport, to see my teacher; Mr. Kilcup, who was my Teaching Academy teacher. It was fun visiting with him for awhile and catching him up on whats been going on in my life the last 5 years. I can't believe I have been graduated for 5 years now! Tuesday night was Lindsey's endowment session. Wednesday we did some more hanging around and Carrie and I went shopping for Lindsey's bridal gift ;) got some fun stuff. That night was Lindsey's bachelorette party that Mitra and Erynn planned. We went out to eat at Red Robin, went back to our house and played some soda pong, hung out with full bellies, opened up some presents and that was the night! Her last night being single!

Thursday, the morning of. We all woke up, got our makeup done by Stephanie Lynch, and all curled each other's hair. Today was the big day!!

The sealing was amazing of course, filled with tears and happiness. Pictures were good as well, except it was so muddy and hard to walk through the grass in our heels...good thing it wasn't raining though, but it was cold.

Pork sandwiches for the luncheon, yum! Dessert bar with candy, cookies, ice cream bar, and Italian cream sodas at the reception. All went very well. Good thing it was all inside because it pretty much rained the entire reception. And that was our trip! We flew back Saturday noon. Lots of fun times. Jordan, welcome to the family. And now she is Lindsey Welch!! Here are just a few of the pictures I took.

General Conference

Last weekend was General Conference for our church, Saturday and Sunday, two sessions each. We started off the weekend with Dennis and Megan coming down from Logan Friday night and stayed with us. We went over to Trish and Scott's where we met up with Bekah, Lee and the crew. It is always so fun to gather around as a family to watch conference, to hear our prophet and apostles speak to us. Of course we always have to have cinnamon rolls along with watching, a tradition, thanks for the delicious rolls Trish! While the boys went off to the priesthood session that night, all us girls went out to eat at Mimi's Cafe and then some dessert at Culver's, then back to Bekah's to wait for our handsome men to come home. I am so thankful for the opportunity we have at this time while we are living in Utah, so close to Salt Lake that we could very easily go to conference, so Chad and I got tickets for the Sunday morning session. Of course we sat in the balcony, but it doesn't really matter where our seats were, it is just such a blessing to be able to go, feel the spirit, and actually be in the same room as our living prophet Thomas S. Monson. We heard a lot of great talks by people in the church and I will never forget the feeling I get while being in that conference center, even though I have been 4 or 5 times now. "God's light is available to all...this is the spirit of Jesus Christ!" "Nevertheless, spiritual light rarely comes to those who merely sit in darkness waiting for someone to flip a switch. It takes an act of faith to open our eyes to the Light of Christ."-Dieter F. Uchtdorf (2nd counselor in the First Presidency for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
Till next time, another 6 months!

Easter!!

 

Easter was two weeks ago from today, Sunday March 31st and I really wanted to get into the spirit and have fun this year since I don't really remember us doing much or even having baskets last year. So I had bought just some cheap baskets for us to fill for each other. I wanted to do something really special for Chad. But first I had to get some cute Easter decorations. These are my few new ones from this year. First two pics are from Target, dollar section, the rest are from Gordmans; my new favorite store. I just love the cute little bunny!

So I got going on Chad's basket, bought lots of candy, some plastic eggs and did a little pinterest hunting for ideas.

His filled basket and Easter eggs

These were little sayings and things that I taped in places around the house while he was sleeping in the morning so that he would wake up to them

I found some cute things and I made up more of my own for Chad to read and find inside all his Easter Eggs with candy. He got a kick out of those! :)

Filling the Easter eggs

Here is Chad's basket from me I gave him before he had to go to work, yes he had to work on easter :( :(

And here is my super stuffed basket Chad gave me, lots of peeps yum!!

While Chad was at work I got going on making some homemade scrumptious peanut butter chocolate eggs, basically like the Reese's, which Chad loves, as well as deviled eggs. We were going over for dinner at Trish and Scott's apartment for Easter dinner and those were what we were bringing over, and so I got going on those right away. Dinner was amazing as well! Ham, mashed potatoes, beans, and some great pineapple!

All the ingredients

Mix them together

Shaping them (hardest and most annoying part)
then stick in the freezer 

Dip in chocolate and sprinkle with sprinkles on top

EAT!!!

Now time for the deviled eggs, I just loved the idea of dying the egg whites into pretty pastel Easter colors! Wasn't hard at all either and they looked great! So fun.

Boiled the eggs, cut in half, take out the  yolk, prepare the glasses of different color dye, let them soak for just a few seconds

Let the egg whites dry on a paper towel

Fill in the filing part, top off with some paprika and walla!!

Chad came home! And he found a piece of paper for him on the front door, the East Bunny came and hid some eggs for him, he had to go on a little hunt around the apartment to find his eggs and his little sayings and tickets inside ;) He had fun with that. He said he hadn't gone on an egg hunt since he was a little kid, and he loved it!

Chad's sign on the front door when he got home

Some places where I hid his eggs 

Chad finding and opening all his eggs

We had a great Easter!! Of course with all of the fun Easter eggs, bunnies, and food, we need to as well always remember the true meaning of why we celebrate Easter. Our Savior Jesus Christ has risen and he lives! We need to remember and not forget the atonement and all that our Savior has done for each and every one of us. I love our Savior so much, and he loves and knows each and every one of us. He is life, he is love, he is the greatest example ever!