Spousal Approval Demanded?

Recently I chopped all of my hair off. I'm sure you've noticed the new pixie trend buzzing around in Hollywood....well I hopped on that band wagon. I wanted to try something daring! And I've never done anything like this.

Of course I had some nerves so it was a 3 stage process. Slowly I worked my way up to the pixie...but what was interesting was that every time I went into the Salon I got the same question, "Is your husband ok with this?" I kind of laughed and explained that Andrew could care less how I do my hair, makeup, or clothes. Believe me I've tried to get an opinion out of him! He's one of the rare awesome guys that just says "You're beautiful in anything." Am I lucky or what?

So the other night I casually mentioned this to him, and how odd it was to hear the stylists share their stories of boyfriends who declared their opinions and in some cases how it ruined relationships. He agreed that was weird, but mentioned he has had his own share of questioning about his appearance. You see, Andrew has been growing out his beard. He decided to grow his beard out for a year without cutting it. He wants to see how much it will grow, and how it will look. I have been encouraging him to do it now because he's at this cool place in his life where he doesn't have to dress business casual. Why not try it out? Plus, I kind of like the beard. Any way, apparently the question he gets asked when people who know him see the beard for the first time, is "How does your wife feel about that?"

 

Is this some weird new adage that spouses/significant others get some say in how you dress/groom/appear? I like to ask Andrew his opinion because I love him, but it's hard to say how it would make me feel if he were to start making ultimatums about my appearance. The only thing he really cares about is my modesty level. (Which I actually really appreciate! I never want to look immodest in how I dress...out of respect for myself mostly, and for him.) He will offer if he thinks something is too low cut, or see through....but again, never has he demanded that I change. He only offers his insight.

More than this being something new, I'm suspecting this is rather something old. I'll be honest, I was raised in a family where my mom thought feminist was a bad word. And for a while I agreed. I attended a women's college and I suppose it was there where I learned more about what it means to be a true feminist, and some of those ideals have rubbed off on me. (As I see it, a true feminist accepts that women have the right to cling to the traditional gender roles as their own choice, the point is that they should have that choice.) I guess when I first was asked about my hair cut decision this inner feminist came out, and I was starting to feel outraged. But as Andrew reminded me, men can also get the same scrutiny.

I guess my only answer to all of this is that I love Andrew no matter how he looks. I didn't fall in love with him because of his appearance (though that was certainly one of the first attractions). I know that looks are temporary, beauty fades....and I trust that Andrew doesn't just love me for my appearance either. After all, isn't that what love truly is?

If You Like Downton Abbey...

I don't know if you like Downton Abbey as much as I do reader, but it's been a fun ride for me so far. I've always been a bit obsessed with England's aristocracy, (well with London in particular) and it's been a new adventure into the post-Edwardian era, which I have known very little about.

But alas, we moved and when we said goodbye to cable we also said goodbye to tv in general because we don't own any bunny ears. I have had to make do with my Netflix subscription over the last few months. While we were moving I fell in love with the show "Call the Midwife." I myself have a strong interest in midwifery...it's something I like to hope I will be brave enough to do when I get pregnant...you know have a natural birth, not be a midwife. :) But the show is fabulous! (Did I mention that it's based on a book?) Poor Andrew was only ever unpacking in different rooms and could hear the screams of laboring women, but the show is really a fascinating look at life in the East End of London during the 1950's.

Over the Christmas holiday we enjoyed watching the BBC's new series Sherlock. The first season was ok, but the second was absolutely perfect! They definitely hit their stride and hit the comedic marks right on cue. The third season is about to start airing!

Then this last weekend Amazon Prime recommended I watch Upstairs Downstairs. I couldn't believe it! It seemed like a perfect copy of Downton Abbey, until I found out that this series was made first. The original Upstairs Downstairs was a show in the 70's, and in 2010 they brought the show back centering around the same house, but with a new family several years later. The title refers to the life upstairs of a wealthy family, and life downstairs of all of their servants. Downton Abbey takes place during WWI, and the new Upstairs Downstairs prefaces the tension before WWII. The series is well done with fabulous sets and costumes. If you like Downton Abbey, I suggest you give it a try! The real shame is that it only lasted 2 seasons.

So this weekend I plan to catch up on the original Upstairs Downstairs. I'll let you know if it's worth a watch. I hope you like my recommendations. As someone without current tv, Netflix and Amazon Prime have been a lifesaver!

I'm starting to think that BBC can do no wrong...and Masterpiece Theater is becoming my favorite! It might be enough to make me start donating...who couldn't use a Downton Abbey tote? And just for your enjoyment, here are a few pictures of my BBC studio tour from my 2010 study abroad in London.

The building.

One of the studios.

Me in one of the dressing rooms.

Texas Trip - A Chance to Play Aunt

So as I'm looking through the 20 drafts I have for this blog, I found this gem from my Texas trip back in September. It's amazing how many posts I have completed, just never shared. Well, I suppose there is no time like the present!

September 2013:

This past week I was able to fly home for four days to visit my family. I originally planned it so that I would be home just after my sister's due date. However my newest nephew Kody was 10 days early, so instead of a one day old, I met an 11 day old. Seeing him so small made me realize that I have really missed a lot since I moved to Utah. It also made me wonder why it was so hard to visit when I was only one hour away. How could I have missed this?!

I have two sisters and a brother. Each sibling has their own set of children, one boy and one girl. Now my sister Heidi has three kids with the addition of little Kody. Not to mention that Andrew's sister had a baby 6 months ago. I am an aunt to 5 boys (Bradley, Kolt, Carlin, Liam, and Kody) and three girls (Tabitha, Cosette, and Kora). The oldest is Bradley coming in at 7 years old.

So on Wednesday I headed down on a super early morning flight, and landed (after some delays) around 3:30pm in the great state of Texas. I was greeted by my Momma who is home from Germany for the month of September. And the we had some good old fashioned girl time! As always here are my highlights from that first night.

Wednesday:

1. Abuelos - My favorite fancy Mexican food restaurant is Abuelos, and my sweet Momma was nice enough to cart me right from the airport to Abuelos. We got to talk and eat all the Mexican food my little heart desired. Then, even though I was stuffed...I just had to order flan. I finished that sucker all by myself. Dear God, thank you for flan!

This is the reason I will never be skinny.

2. Shopping - Not just shopping, but shopping with a woman. Not just a woman, but shopping with my Mom. Not just shopping, but shopping at Sam Moon. Like the world's biggest accessory store. I scored myself a nice chunky, trendy necklace. But the best was that my mom let me gush about everything I saw, and never once told me I was crazy. :) I forget how frustrating it is to shop with boys.

This is not my picture, I took it from the internet, but it gives you an idea of how overwhelming this place is.
photo cred: http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2011/03/28/the-dallas-must-do-list-sam-moon-shopping/

3. Meeting Kody - Kody was asleep when I first got home, but eventually Heidi went and grabbed him just so I could hold him. He was amazing! His facial expressions and hand movements were absolutely precious. I'm so glad that I could see him while he was still in this newborn stage.



4. Spelling with Kolt - Somehow Kolt and I started a spelling game. He had me teach him how to spell everyone's names, but we made all of the letters with his body. Twisting him into an O, and curling him into a C. It was great entertainment and quality time with my nephew. I loved it!


I say that I "played" Aunt on this trip because I just don't get to see these kids enough to live it every day. Obviously I am their Aunt, but I so cherish the times I get to spend with them because it is so special. This was a great start to my short time in Texas, and I'm so glad I got to make the trip!

Resolutions

Some people are big into making New Year's resolutions. I seem to change my mind every year whether or not they are worth my time. The obvious stigma of never keeping to them seems to hit me whenever I do decide to. However, I think there is something powerful about getting your goals in writing. It seems to make you more accountable, and therefore successful.

My general rules for making resolutions are simple. They need to be realistic. I aim for this by establishing a general goal and including at least one specific sub-bullet that acts as a plan of action for achieving it. I also like to have one goal in each of the following categories: Health, Hobbies, Relationships, and Spiritual.

So I guess 2014 will be a year for resolutions! And lucky for you dear reader, I've decided to share them with you.

My goals for 2014

Health:

To improve my health in 2014 I will:

• Challenge myself to go the month of January with no cokes in an effort to drink more water. 
• Reduce portion sizes.

I've not been very happy with the effect of the sedentary life I lead...but rather than just say "I want to lose weight," or commit to an exercise routine that I know will be broken the first time I just don't feel good, I would rather commit this year to working on my unhealthy eating habits. Who knows, if I start to feel better, maybe I'll start working to find an exercise that I can stand. 

Hobbies:

In 2014 I will make more time to:

• Finish and publish my short story by the end of 2014.
• Post at least 8 times per month to this blog.

Writing is my first love. As a kid I would write stories, and it is a life goal to write a novel someday. I've had an idea for a short story brewing in my head for a couple of years now, and I even have a draft saved on my computer. It's time I reunite with my first love, and get something published! I've also greatly enjoyed working on this blog, so I hope to only do more of it in 2014. 

Relationships:

To improve/nurture my relationships in 2014, I will:

• Mail physical letters to my nieces and nephews at least once a month.
• Email/Call my long distance friends at least once a month.

Recently I became aware of the hurt that can be caused by losing contact. We often rationalize it as "drifting apart." I don't want the distance to be a reason that I don't know what's going on in my family or friend's lives. 

Spiritual:

To work on my relationship with God in 2014, I will:

• Read 4 devotionals this year. 
• Keep a prayer journal.

Last year I started growing again, and I want to keep this going. I don't want to be stagnant and comfortable with just attending church and praying before bed and meals. This is a life commitment and since writing is my first love, what better way to express my prayers to God? Plus a prayer journal is a great way to look back and see how God has answered them. 

So let it be known that I have written, and very publicly declared my goals. It should be interesting to look back and see how I did. Wish me luck! 

The Utah Symphony Orchestra

Greetings reader! While I was pinning on pinterest, you know my standard Saturday afternoon activity, I came across several examples of travel journals that use drawings. It was all images that came with detailed descriptions to capture details in a less boring way. By that I mean, the reader wouldn't have to read endless paragraphs explaining the minutia of one's trip...but rather look at tons of pictures that capture specific details from the person's day. Well we all know pictures make everything better. So I thought I would give it a shot. 

Today we had the pleasure of attending Pixar in Concert by the Utah Symphony Orchestra in SLC. And while I can tell you the concert was amazing...I would rather show you! I'll detail with images and short descriptions getting ready, traveling, waiting, attending, and my post concert activities. 

Keep in mind, this is my first attempt at something like this. I hope you enjoy!

Getting Ready:

My makeup drawer, eye make up, and lipstick.

My makeup drawer and essentials. Most used are my Clear nail polish, deodorant, mascara, my eye depuffer, and under eye brightener. Then on the top right my eye make up all applied. Almay eye shadow (smoky pallet for blue eyes), mascara, and liquid eye liner. Last on bottom left doing the finishing touch of red lipstick to match my red dress. I love how my A ring stands out....A is for Andrew of course!


Pre Concert Activities:

On the ride to SLC, mountains, and a quick stop for dinner.

Last night we had about one inch of fresh snow on the ground, and on our drive to SLC you can see that the mountains were lovely with snow covered peaks. As much as driving in snow makes me nervous, snow capped mountains are definitely my favorite, and I so enjoyed the view on our drive. We stopped at Chipotle for a quick dinner (my makeup application took a bit longer than planned) and shared a vegetarian burrito bowl. All the toppings. And in keeping with my new resolution/trial period of kicking cokes I enjoyed a refreshing lemonade with my dinner.

 Abravanel Hall:

The Olympic Tower sculpture

View of the temple through the glass wall. 

Salt Lake City is most hip and happening around Temple Square...the surrounding streets around the Mormon Temple. Abravanel hall is catty corner to the temple and across from a new outdoor high end shopping center called City Creek. We parked in the underground parking for the shopping center and walked over to the concert hall. You can see the famous statue of hand blown glass, and the view of the Mormon Temple.

The Concert:

Third level balcony, seats 1 & 2 directly in the middle

A very Gatsby chandelier!

I bought the tickets for this concert back in September, and picked out the best seats I could afford. Dead center on the top balcony. The concert was all Disney Pixar movie music. It was awesome. The screen above the musicians played scenes from each of the movies and the music was synchronized to match. The hall itself is lovely, and I simply adored the Gatsby-esque chandeliers. 

After:

Coffee and dessert at The Blue Lemon

At the corner of the shopping center, with an all window view of the Temple is a cafe called The Blue Lemon. Andrew and I discovered it the day we arrived in Salt Lake City. Our dads helped us with the 2 day trek and we wanted to do something fun with them before they left. So we toured the Temple museums, and at the recommendation of one of the missionaries tried out this restaurant. It has a contemporary feel, and the food is simply marvelous! It is on the expensive side, so more often we hit the cafe side for great coffee and treats like the carrot and German chocolate cake pictured here. The best part was that the pastries were all half off! 

My favorite Picture from the Night:

Waiting in the lobby before the concert.

I have a philosophy when it comes to picture taking. I take about a gillion shots in the hopes that at least one will turn out decent. This is the reason why my iPhone is too full to sync to the Cloud, and all of my SD cards fill up fast. This is not the way my husband likes to operate. In fact if he had his way we wouldn't take any pictures and just enjoy the moment. I see his sentiment, but would also like to have something to show our kids someday...

Anyway he was making fun of me and taking tons of pictures in rapid succession. In fact in this picture I am in the middle of telling him off, and wouldn't you know this awesome gem came out of the 16 horrible ones. Bravo Andrew, bravo.

Well I hope you enjoyed my new blogging experiment. In my normal format you would have just seen pictures of me at the concert, and I would have told you about it. This way I can show you small glimpses, like my Chipotle cup that help me tell the story in a more detailed, yet less text-filled way. 

Catching Up - November

Well reader, I'm afraid I've left you high and dry over the holiday season. It's amazing how these things can sneak up on you. My November alone was a crazy one, so allow me to catch you up!

November 23rd the Corbin's made a big leap and moved from an apartment into a rental home. The timing and situation were all completely divine. Our lease at the apartment was up at the end of November, and I wasn't sure what the right move for us would be. We were all tired of the apartment, and of the ridiculous fees and bills. BUT we might potentially be moving in July to wherever Andrew's gets into grad school. Our apartment complex is not high on less than one year leases and often charges higher rent.

Then out of nowhere we were offed a deal you can't refuse. One of Andrew's professors was away on a sabbatical to New Mexico, and he didn't want to leave his house empty all year round. His initial house sitter had to bail when he was offered an incredible job out of state, and so he offered it to us. Now can I first say that is completely impressive to me that a professor would trust one of his students to live in his house for a year? (Or in our case about 9 months.)

The rent was right, and the space perfect! We are now in a three bedroom house with a fully fenced backyard. So here are the highlights that we are loving about the new rental:

1. My Archer boy has room to run, and I don't think he's been on a leash since we moved in. :) There is absolutely no greater feeling than watching your puppy sleep the day away because he is worn out from some hard earned play time. Our favorite game is to play Frisbee and let Archer jump and chase for the Frisbee. It's been a great family bonding activity.

Archer jumping for the frisbee in his backyard! 

2. My cats have their own dog free zones. The cats now have their own room, which will double nicely as a guest room when family comes to visit. As well as an area downstairs that only they can get to. This has been awesome for keeping their food and litter away from nosy German Shepherds.

Dog gates are a great investment! 

3. Andrew's office! Andrew now has his own office where he can study away from my tv watching, and since it has it's own closet...guess who doesn't have to share the bedroom closet anymore?! It also houses his gecko in a secure area where kitties won't be tempted to try out a new exotic snack.

4. SPACE. The running theme here is space. 5 years in one bedroom apartments, slowing adding new pets to the mix has made us feel like we are living on top of each other. I know that I will look back at those apartments fondly, and I'm even working on a blog post about the lessons I have learned from each one. But this November we made a big step. We took on a house, and I hope that this will be where we are headed from here on out. I hope to never have strangers living above or below me ever again.

I have to also mention that the house is simply adorable. The houses in Ogden have a bungalow style, that has adorable built ins around the whole house. These have made quite lovely little nooks for the cats to sleep in and made decorating fun.

I love how charming a nice bungalow can be. 

2013 Year In Review

Reader, can you believe that it is 2014? Where has 2013 gone?

I don't know if you are as obsessed with facebook as I am, but every year around this time they let you do a Year in Review. It highlights pictures or posts that you have done throughout the year that got a lot of likes or comments, and throws up pictures from different months of the year. Normally I'm not really into all that, but out of curiosity I decided to give it a try, and I'm glad that I did. It reminded me that 2013 was pretty great, and so in keeping with that spirit, I give you my 2013 highlights.

1. I took a new position at my job

I had a really hard time with this decision. There were some obvious benefits, like the fact that I stopped commuting to Park City, and now would work only 10 minutes from my house. But beyond proximity I wasn't sure I was going to like the new job, or fit in at the Ogden office.

In the end I can say that the new position is a work in progress, but it's not as horrible as I thought it would be. I've actually really enjoyed meeting a lot of the people here, and the time that I get to spend with my family is invaluable. I think I made the right decision.


2. I finished my MA degree

This July I officially met the highest goal that I have set for myself. My formal education has officially come to a close. I am done with classrooms, and being a student and that feels a bit scary. At first I really didn't know what to do with myself. But as I look at coworkers who have kids, I realize I will miss this feeling someday. :)


3. I celebrated 5 years of marriage

I honestly can't believe it's been 5 years. It makes me realize all the more that I truly was just a kid. I feel very defensive of our decision to get married so young. But I realize that it's all a matter of compromises. I am happy that Andrew and I have grown up together. I have watched him mature and so I can appreciate that in him. I also am grateful that we have been able to spend so much time together enjoying/working at being married before we entered kids into the equation. The trade off is that our "college experience" was very different from most, and we had to grow up super fast. But I wouldn't trade it. I'm happy with where we are, where we came from, and where we are going.

4. I went to Germany!

I am a London girl through and through. Germany was always my Dad's love. My parents were stationed in Germany the first 5 years of their marriage, and this last year they have been living there as a part of my Dad's job. He is on cloud nine. Germany has always interested me...but never been high on my travel bucket list.
Well when the trip came up as a part of my graduate program, and the opportunity to see my parents fit in, I knew I had to go. And guess what...I loved it! Beer, Mountains, and an overload of pork and carbs...what's not to love?!

5. We moved into a house

This November we moved into a rental house. After 5 years in apartments it feels so amazing to stretch our legs in our own backyard, yell (only in joy of course!), and get away from each other. Ok, I know that last one sounds bad, but we've only ever been in one bedroom apartments. It felt like we were living on top of each other! Of course there are some new responsibilities with the new place, which I'm sure I will share with you all soon.

6. I turned 25!

Last week I turned the big 2-5. I can't say that anything has really changed, but I'm starting to feel older. (In a good way.) When people ask if I'm married, it's totally normal to say yes. And when I say that I don't have any kids, I get the "good for you! It's smart to wait." It's also weird because most of the goals I have set for myself were with a timeline of "by the time I'm 25." I guess I will just have to make some new goals...after all thirty is only 5 years away....gulp.

So I hope you have enjoyed my 2013 highlights. It's been a fantastic year and I'm so hopeful for a wonderful 2014.

Finding A Church

Well reader, it has been a busy September so far! (And it's only the 6th!) Andrew and I have recently found a church that we both like (this is actually a difficult task, as we both look for different things, and being a Protestant in Utah makes it even harder.) I don't usually share so personally, because, well, I don't know who you are! But this journey to find a church stems from a lot of background and personal experience.

 I am a Christian. I don't identify with a denomination other than the generic Protestant. I don't believe in men making decisions about what God has to say. I think he made it clear in the bible which is why I don't identify as Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, or anything else. I believe in a personal relationship with God and do not merit any works as a means to heaven. 

It's a scary thing in this day and age to declare these things publicly. And while I'm not on a soap box in downtown SLC, or even writing for a large following, I do feel it is important that I share this information. I have friends, colleagues, and family that do not agree with my position. I don't like to take social media or my professionalism to use as a soapbox, but I do want to be clear. I don't judge anyone else for having different beliefs - but this is me. You should know the real me.

There is a lot to share in my personal journey and evolution of my relationship with Christ. I can't do that all here in one post. And I don't really plan on doing it regularly. That's not the intention of this blog. This blog is about travel, and well this journey is one that has been important in my life lately. I may choose to write more later, but I don't know yet. For now, I know that I want to share some insight into my family and our journey to find a church.

When we lived in Denton we found a church that we both absolutely loved. Then we moved to Utah. It was confusing to see a temple/stake center on every corner. Heck, I was used to seeing Baptist churches! So we dragged our feet and checked out a few churches as we thought about it. Some were shockingly evangelical...completely freaked my born and raised Southern Baptist husband. Some were a bit too immature, my deep thinker just didn't think it was enough for him to grow from. But this new one seems to be just right.

You see, we both have very different backgrounds when it comes to churches.

 Andrew, as I mentioned was raised in Baptist churches. When he was in middle school his family switched to a new church so that his sister could find a good youth program. She loved it, but Andrew was miserable. He didn't fit in with the kids that attended and saw a lot of hypocrisy as he moved into high school. One of the things I truly love about my husband is his passion for learning. He is no different when it comes to theology. He's a quiet guy, but he does have a lot of opinions and reads a lot. I respect him immensely and want him to have the opportunity to chose a church where he feels comfortable. He doesn't like sermons that are surface level. He thinks we should be gaining some insight and depth, and well, our last church was fantastic at that!

Now me. My father was a chaplain in the air force. He pastored his own Baptist church when I was a baby. Unfortunately the Southern Baptist stigma rang true in small town Texas and my family struggled with the whole denomination from that point on. Growing up we were never members of any church through we regularly attended a Bible Church from the time I was 5-17. We were involved, I was active in Awana, Small groups, the praise team (for a brief period), and my parents helped out with children's Sunday school. We felt loved there, and not domineered by a denomination or the political aspects of church administration. The teachings were based strictly on the Bible. When I turned about 17 my life had changed a lot. I was a bit more jaded and I suddenly realized that sleeping through the college like lectures of my pastor was not OK. Sure, I really enjoyed our Youth group and got a lot out of the message. But high school was almost over.

Not to mention when you attend a church for so long you see people change. I was frustrated by cliques that I was seeing evolve in our Youth group. As a very jealous person I was irritated to see people getting all of the attention and opportunities. I realized that it was time to move on. I needed to find a place where I was growing and learning, and a place where I felt loved and wanted. I just didn't feel that way anymore. (DISCLAIMER: I am not blaming anyone for this change of heart. If anything I am to blame for feeling distant and frustrated. My jealousy is probably my biggest struggle and unfortunately I let it warp my perception and take over my emotions. It's something I still struggle with today. There are a lot of friends that I have made at the church I grew up in, and for that I am so grateful. I think anyone who knew me in middle school really saw my heart. High school changed things, and not always for the better. I don't blame the church or it's members....but things changed and I needed to move on.)

When we went off to college there was another Bible church very similar to the one I grew up in. Andrew had been a few times and really liked it. But a lot of those same people (it's really common for people to move to Denton from my hometown) were attending the church, and it wasn't the fresh start I wanted. We turned our attention to a different church, and I'll be honest things were tough for quite a while. If high school was a change of heart, college was a roller coaster. I dealt with issues I wasn't prepared for, and struggled with demons that kept me from accepting the grace I have always revered. Thankfully I wasn't left alone to figure things out, Christ kept with me and led me back to him. (Not that I was ever truly away...just struggling.)

Finding this church here in Utah wasn't easy, and for two people who are shy it can be hard to really join into a new community. We are both pushing ourselves to get involved and make this church our home. I'm excited to see what we will learn and what kind of encouragement we can gain.

Andrew's Journey

Today is a pretty important day for my family. Today Andrew takes his GRE. This test will help him as he spends the rest of this semester talking with potential graduate advisers and filling out applications to various grad schools all over the country. This test is an important factor in determining where we will be in about a year from now.

Getting to this point

When Andrew first went to school he made a lot of mistakes (and he'll admit to them, so don't think I'm a jerk!) haha. It was one year and one semester into his college education that we became engaged the day before Christmas Eve, and life took another exciting turn.

This was taken the day we got engaged December 23, 2007

That last semester before our June wedding was an interesting one. Andrew and I began to talk about his career goals, and he told me that he really had a passion for cooking. He always has from helping his mom in the kitchen growing up. Andrew really struggled with his career decisions because he wanted to be the provider for his family. (Andrew's traditionalism is something that I absolutely love about my husband, but it took me a long time to explain to him that I would much rather him find a way to provide that would make him happy rather than just financially secure.) So before school started again for the Spring semester we were looking at Culinary school options for the Fall.

Unfortunately, with Andrew's mind on Culinary school he sort of forgot that he was still attending school. He stopped going to classes, and then missed the drop date. He was stuck with a 15 credit hour semester of F's. But what did he care? This wouldn't effect culinary school!

Fast forward three years, Andrew is about to finish his Associates in Culinary Arts and has been working at various restaurants to support us (well mostly me as I finished up my Bachelor's degree). He's unhappy working in the kitchen, and feels the need to at least get a Bachelor's degree. For a while we talked about a business degree, or may nutrition to accompany the culinary degree....but another passion of Andrew's kept popping up. His love of animals.

Andrew's graduation from Culinary school (2011)

One of my favorite stories that Andrew's mom tells, is how she and Andrew's dad had to sit down with Andrew as a boy and explain to him that not everyone wants to talk about lizards all the time. haha This is so my Andrew! He's one of those people who will study something with all of his energy if he is truly interested in it. It may seem like Culinary school was a waste of his time, but I think it really showed him that he was capable of being great at something. (And who would complain about their husband getting a culinary degree?! I often say it was our best investment!)

I have now watched Andrew put in two years at Weber State University in the Zoology program. He has helped with numerous research projects and even secured a grant to study bees in Southern Utah. He received several awards and scholarships this year based mostly on his enthusiasm and efforts both in and out of the classroom. The grades from that fourth semester of college still present him with challenges. Especially now that he has decided he wants to go to graduate school. But it has only made him work harder to get good scores on his GRE.

Andrew's Zoology Service Award 2013

I can't explain fully the change in Andrew from high school to now. I know that he has never in his life studied so hard for a test as he has for his GRE that he is taking in a few hours. I know that this is the first time he has worked hard at something not directly related to his passion. (There isn't any biology on the GRE.) And mostly I know that I am lucky to have been by his side to watch the transformation. Many people look down on us for getting married so young, but I know that I have really gained so much from watching my partner become a godly man and leader.

Good luck on your test today my love, no matter the score I am so proud of your efforts and it shows me how dedicated you are to your goals. I love you. 

This is my graduation

Well, I did it. I finally finished my Master's degree on July 26, 2013. This has been a difficult degree to earn, not because the program is hard, but because the circumstances were not my favorite.

When I did my undergrad I was blessed to have Andrew working full time. I only worked 20 hours a week on campus, so I was able to take a more than full time load. I worked really hard to finish school in 3.5 years. (The half was student teaching, if I had chosen a different minor, I could have finished in 3.) I take a lot of pride in that. But I wasn't able to do that this time around.

I had my first full time job, and I was forced to go slow. I also took a semester break between degrees because I had planned to go a totally different route. Looking back, I'm glad that things worked out the way that they did, but there was a lot of hurt and disappointment when plan A fell through. Then I watched people I graduated with finish school back in December, and as stupid as it is...I felt jealous, and disappointed in myself. (Ok, I already called it stupid...so ease up already!)

In reality, it only took me 2 years and one summer class to finish up my degree. But it's felt like an eternity. I feel joy, relief, and excitement now that I have finished my MA. But...graduating in the summer means there are no graduation activities, and no graduation. What's more, is doing this 100% online has meant there is even less of a celebration. I have definitely made friends online, but not like I did in my undergrad.

So...Saturday I celebrated my graduation in the best way that I know how...

Dog Park - Andrew has become a true night owl lately, while I'm pretty well synched into my morning schedule. I woke up bright and early and decided I would take Archer out for more than just his business, I would take him on a nice little walk. One of the reasons why we ended up at our apartment complex, is because it allows German Shepherds and it has it's own little dog park. Archer recently was neutered and hasn't been allowed to play for almost a month now. (There were some complications.) So I walked him down to the dog park, and he had the time of his life! We met Earl (an American bulldog mix), Blue (an appropriately named Blue Heeler), Bear (a 7 month old Great Pyraneese) and MJ the lab. Archer had a blast and was laying down by the gate within an hour. I was glad I could let him play so hard, because I knew Andrew and I weren't going to be home much that day...

House Shopping - We started out our day looking at a potential house to rent. My hopes weren't high because it's not a traditional rental situation. One of Andrew's professors is going on a sabbatical and wanted us to rent his house while he is gone. After looking at the house and talking with the owner I was thrilled. We agreed to rent the house as soon as our current lease is up, and now I'm so excited about more space, a fenced back yard, and no more 3rd floor living!

Shopping - I debated getting a really expensive diploma frame for my MA degree. When I graduated with my undergrad I decided that I should wait and get the expensive frame for the bigger degree. However this time around I still couldn't bring myself to shell out $150 for a frame. So I decided that what I wanted was a really nice watch. It would be a nice reward to myself for finishing, and I would get a lot of use out of it. More than just hanging it on the wall. So I had a lot of fun trying on watches and was surprised by the watch I fell in love with. I had my heart set on rose gold, but ended up with this beauty!

Lunch - We headed to Park City to the Fossil outlet, and I decided to surprise my old boss's wife with her favorite cookies for her birthday. They caught us on the drive and offered to take us out to lunch up at their resort in East Canyon, since they were already headed there. We took them up on it, and enjoyed some awesome conversation and their kind-hearted generosity. (I honestly can't explain how much I love my old boss. He was an amazing man to work for, and he continues to help me even though he isn't my boss anymore.)

Pool - Andrew was a trooper. He shopped with me through the outlet mall, TJ Maxx, and World Market. So we decided to end our Park City day with one of his favorite activities. We found a place to play Billiards. Andrew is my little pool shark, and while pool isn't one of my favorite things to do I know that he loves it.

Pizza and a Movie - We ended the day with some pizza and a movie back at our place. I snuggled up with my puppy, and it was a really nice ending to a fun day! 

So I didn't get to dress up and walk across a stage. No family was able to come up for my special day, but I had my #1 supporter there with me and it's more than I could have asked for.

Happy to spend the day with this goof-ball

Lessons with Archer: Being Selfless

Archer is my best friend. I tell him that everyday, but it really didn't start out that way. I'll be honest I was not happy to get Archer as soon as we did, and I only consented because Andrew wanted him so badly and wouldn't give up! 

I told Andrew no way was I ever getting a German Shepherd, they are big and scary, and they shed! No way would we get one so soon after moving into our new apartment, why add the extra pet rent right away?

Well about 2 weeks later Andrew was off to the breeder to pick up this little guy. The last male of his litter from a barnyard breeder.

Even though he was incredibly adorable, he was also a puppy. Our experience with Archer led us to swear that we were never going to get a puppy ever again. It is a frustrating process of teaching, nibbling, scolding, praising, and cleaning. (I'm guessing this is a lot like human babies.)

 We welcomed sweet puppy Archer into our 725 sq. foot, one bedroom, 3rd floor apartment back in December of 2012. Just picture it, two Texans toughing it out in the freezing snowy conditions, with a brand new puppy that needs to go outside every 30 minutes. I had to really get over myself in order to take care of this sweet pup.

Archer wasn't really a cuddly puppy like I wanted, he was more of a crazy hyper puppy who's probably going to smack your face with his head as he tries to look around at the world. I didn't really get close to him at first. Andrew took charge, and while I was still expected to take him outside on my turn, it seemed like he was really more of Andrew's dog and not mine.

    

This all changed when Andrew went on a school trip for 4 days. I became the sole care giver, and what I realized was that this dog didn't want to be lonely any more than I did. We started to really bond because all we had was each other.

Life hasn't been exactly peaches and roses here in Utah. I miss my friends and family. Then to make matters more complicated, I worked an hour away from where I lived, with people who were on average 20 years older than me, and I did my school online. I had no friends that I could actually hang out with.  Archer literally became my best friend. 

Headbands

Well dear reader, I have a confession to make. I have an addiction that comes out the worst when I'm over in Europe. And that addiction is to headbands. Let's take a moment to reflect on my European headbands, and how I have worn them over the years:

Germany 2013 - the bigger the better.

Germany 2013 - Fell in LOVE with this blue number! 

Germany 2013 - fun! And when I'm feeling brave, I wear it as an across the forehead band. 

Paris 2010 - Feathers

London 2010 - simple

London 2010 - weaved pink and gold

London 2010 - go big or go home! 

So I hope you've enjoyed my walk down headband memory lane. The sad thing is that I almost never wear them here in the US. It feels out of place or too crazy. In Europe, it's just so fun to wear crazy headbands. I definitely need to wear these beauties more often over here. 

Getting Back to the Basics

One of my favorite things that I have been able to do so far this summer has been READ! It all started on my trip to Germany. I was determined not make the same mistake that I made on my London trip (I hauled four Phillipa Gregory books in my backpack, if you aren't familiar with her....her books are HUGE!), so I downloaded the Kindle app for my netbook.

After I returned from my trip I had a month of summer vacation before my last and final class started at the end of June. (My second class is actually tonight!) During that month, I started downloading more kindle books and reading them on my various computers. It became so obvious that I was obsessed with reading kindle books, that my husband even surprised me with a kindle fire for our 5 year anniversary. (I had been begging him to get me one for Christmas, so this was quite a surprise!)

Since my Germany trip I have read 10 novels in two months. It has been such a joy! And it even reminds me of summertime as a kid. If you haven't picked up on it by now....I'm a completely fair, blond Irish looking kid. I don't do sun, I don't do heat, and I don't do bugs. So what would I do in the Texas summertime? I would read books by the dozens all day and all night long. I became somewhat of a zombie with my head in a book, not even taking breaks to eat! (You only need one hand to hold the book, and the other to reach into the chip bag.)

What's even better is the type of books I've been reading. I'm back to my favorites, Young Adult books with elements of fantasy and romance! My undergraduate degree is in English and through that program I read all of the classics. Don't get me wrong I have such a great appreciation for them, and even have added a few to my reading list....but when you are forced to read stuff, it kind of loses it's fun. So when I get to choose, I go for fun, fantasy, romance! Young Adult is my genre, and in my dreams I will someday write a YA book myself.

I have also themed my reading around movies that have/will be releasing this summer. So I took time to read:

1. The Host -OMG I was shocked! This book is amazing, it's complex and so much better than the Twilight series. And I actually liked the Twilight series.
2. Beautiful Creatures Series -four books total, and so so good! The movie was terrible, and nothing like the book. So please disregard. I will say that I can see that the authors are striving to create elements of classical literature. For example there is an Odyssey style quest in one of the books. It's pretty transparent what they are trying to do, and therefore not quite effective. But regardless, give this one a chance, it was pretty good!
3. Ender's Game - A total boy book. I was a little bored, until all of the action blew up and I was intrigued. Very well written and it will definitely become a classic that our children will read in school. 
4. The Mortal Instruments Series - Ah! I'm in the thick of it right now just at the beginning of book 4. I have to say that I really think the series could have ended strongly with book 3, but I'm giving it a chance, and I have high hopes for the movies! 

I have so enjoyed reading this summer, and it's even more exciting to note that on July 24th I will be finished with grad school forever and can spend my free time reading if I so choose! 

Changes!

Changes are in the air for this Texas/Utah girl. I recently got back from a another exciting adventure to Germany. I was there for 2 weeks and had such a great time! I will definitely be detailing my trip for you in the near future, don't you worry about that dear reader!

But right now I want to focus on the changes that seems to be radiating this summer:

1. My Germany trip served as a real wake up call for my career. It inspired me to make some changes in my professional life. 
2.  It also reminded me how much I love Europe and how badly I want to get my husband over there! So I've set some new goals for our travel life. 
3. With our 5 year wedding anniversary coming up, I have been realizing how badly I am yearning for the next steps of adulthood, namely a house and baby.
4. My hair was finally past the donating length, so I chopped it all off and donated it to locks of love. 

13 inches are gone baby  gone!

My hopes for this summer are that these changes would actually manifest. Meaning goals and ideas are nice, but my prayer is that I would see something come out of them. I'm making some changes in my career and joining some associations that I hope will lead me down the path I want to go. I'm budgeting out travel and trying to get Andrew on board as early as possible. I don't think there is much I can do right now about the whole house and baby, but I am reexamining our finances so that I can start planning for them. And as for the new hair...that just may be the biggest adjustment of all!