Civil Wedding

Here are a few pictures from the civil wedding yesterday--not very exciting for me but the Chileans were all like, "How does it feel to be married but not married?" The actual "ceremony" if you will was 5 minutes long and we were "married" by a woman judge so that was kind of weird. Basically she just read a statement from the government and then made sure all of our information was correct. We signed a paper and that was it! We had a toast with ginger ale, ate some cake and then went to Pablo's house to have a small barbeque with a few friends. Now we are both more excited then ever for Saturday to get here!!

UPDATE!

I was reminded today by my dear friend Katy (who attacked me at the mall) that I haven't updated my blog...so this is for you! I just got my bridals done today by my friend Tiniel who did an AWESOME job! Seriously I am so pleased and love what she did but I'm not posting them because I don't want to give it all away. Thanks Tiniel for giving up your Saturday for me and for being an amazing friend through these last 10 months!
So here is the plan: My parents and I are leaving on Thursday to go to SLC and flying out for Santiago Friday morning. That puts us arriving in Santiago around 7:30 am where Pablo will be waiting. On December 23 we will be civilly married which is the law in Chile. It is a small, basically family only event but it fulfills the requirements. Then after Christmas at my good friend Andres' house, December 26 we will show up at the temple in Santiago to be sealed! I seriously can not wait for that moment!! I'm so glad that my parents and good friends will be there with me but also that Pablo will be mine--FOREVER! We will have a Chilean reception complete with fancy dinner and dance and then off we will go on the honeymoon.
I come home on January 3rd and Pablo will follow as soon as his Visa gets approved. Depending on how fast we can get it taken care of and they submit and approve it all--it could be anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. At this point I am trying to just think about the time we will have to be together and that it will all be worth the wait. What's a few months when we will be together for eternity, right?
I just wanted to thank all of you for being my support system and cheering me on when I was down. I have such amazing family and friends and I love you all so much!! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and be waiting for more pictures to come soon!

A little warmth for your cold day

BRRRR!! Today I woke up to snow--ick. And it wasn't the kind that flurried a bit and then melted away. No siree. It stayed. My dad even made me help him shovel the sidewalks. (Downside of being as old as I am and STILL living at home.) So this afternoon my mom made something warm to brighten our day--Best Ever Cream Cheese Brownies. (That's the upside of living at home!)

So here's the recipe to add some warmth to your cold day. If you didn't wake up to snow today, you will soon! *Except for those of you who are SMART and live in non-snowing states.*

Cream Cheese Brownies

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
dash of salt
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup melted butter

Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
8 oz cream cheese

Mix brownies and pour in a well greased 9 x 13 pan. Mix topping and and pour on. Run a knife through it give a marble effect. Top with semi-sweet chocolate chips and bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Yum.

PS Recipe courtesy of my "sweet" sister-in-law Amber.

Random Ramblings

I was just looking over my blog from these past months and I realized what a LAME-O blogger I have been ever since I moved home. I averaged one lame post a month (if even). When I first moved home, it was hard. I missed Pablo, I missed my easy, awesome job working in a fancy lawyer's office but I loved being back with my family. But not seeing Pablo every day was really hard. I told myself that it was going to go by fast and for the most part, time really has. But it has been hard too. I put on a happy face but in all honesty, cross-continent relationships are not fun.
I got asked the other day by a doubting "supporter" of my engagement if I have had any doubts since being apart from Pablo. The honest truth: not one. If anything it has made us even closer because we have to rely so much on communication and having limited time to say it all. He has been so patient with me and is making so many sacrifices for me. I love him. If you don't believe me, look at my face everyday when we hang up the conversation. I'm giddy like a 12 year old school girl with her first crush.
49 days and counting. I think they will be even longer than the other 8 months that we have been apart. But is he worth the wait? Oh yeah.
So what is my point from all these random ramblings. Well, I may not have been the most happy, excited, separated from my loved one blogger but I promise to try better and look for something to share. Not just for your sakes, but for mine too. So bare with me, soon I will try a little harder and be a little better to find excitement in life!

Just some stuff...

Here's a little tag from my buddy Tiniel. Thanks for starting the trend again! She requested Top 10 Movies, Books and Songs. Here you go.

MOVIES *not in any particular order
1- Pride and Prejudice (with Kiera K.)
2- Little Women
3- Serendipity
4- Dan In Real Life
5- Steel Magnolias
6- Little Women
7- Fried Green Tomatoes
8- Monster's Inc.
9- Mamma Mia!
10- Rudy

BOOKS
1- Pride and Prejudice
2- most Nicolas Sparks books
3- The Giver
5- Uglies (just the first book)
6- Harriet the Spy
7- Skippyjon Jones (Children's books)
8- El Tunel by Ernesto Sabato
9- Walk Two Moons
10- Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series

SONGS
1- Hands Down-Dashboard Confessional
2- No Me Doy Por Vencido-Luis Fonsi
3- Fidelity-Regina Spektor
4- La Vida es un Ratico-Juanes
5- Home-Michael Buble
6- La Bamba-Richie Valens
7- Sunday Bloody Sunday-U2
8- Love Song-Sara Bareilles
9- Pride and Prejudice soundtrack
10- Stay-Lisa Loeb

Las Seis Amigas

In High School your friends can either lift you up or pull you down--these girls were my life savers! How I love them all for different reasons! We got together last week at my friend Shara's house to catch up on each other lives! It was so fun to talk about the present, reminisce on the past and discuss our plans for the future. I don't know about them but when we get together I still feel like I'm 16 again. Man, we had some good times! Whether it was crashing on snow mobiles, spying on a New Year's Eve first kiss, playing laser tag in the trees or our crazy group dates, we ALWAYS had a good time. I'm so grateful for these girls and all they mean to me. And there is something about surviving high school together that makes you have a bond that lasts. There are so many other friends that I have from high school that I love too, don't get me wrong! But these girls saved my life!

Tacky? Yes. Neccessary? Of course.

It's about that time--the gathering of the addresses for my master list of addresses to send wedding invites to. Yup. THAT time. And I want everyone on the list. So I realize that this is very tacky but also very efficient which is what I am going for.

Pretty, pretty please send me your address! Even if you think I have it, send it again just to be sure. What will you get in exchange? A beautiful wedding invitation with Pablo and I's picture on it. Nice, I know. So e-mail me at beckitabonita@gmail.com Thanks for complying!

I'm in a Blog Slump

Hello, my name is Becki and I am...in a blog slump! I will admit it! Let me explain my "excuse". I sold my laptop and bought an iMac that I LOVE, love, LOOOOVE! But I don't have Photoshop on it yet and I hate putting unedited photos on my blog. But I might just have to suck it up and do it. Okay, I will! Just don't judge me.
Also, there hasn't been too much excitement around here. I am working at Fort Hall Elementary in the Kindergarten room and I LOVE it! My kids are so stinkin' cute and fun. So to get me out of my slump, I borrowed this from my friend Tiniel's blog to get me writing again. Enjoy!

I AM: enjoying the feeling after a Biggest Loser workout. (I feel good now, but tomorrow is another story!)

I AM THINKING: about all the bills I need to pay after I get paid on Friday.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR: free rent with my parents, my family and Pablo.

I AM WEARING: cutoff sweats and an old American Eagle tee shirt.

I AM CREATING: a magnet board for my new home.

I AM GOING: to work tomorrow.

I AM READING: Bleachers by John Grisham for lack of options.

I AM HOPING: to finally get married!

IN THE KITCHEN: are the jars of salsa my Mom canned yesterday--yum!

AROUND THE HOUSE: are the toys that Blake leaves in the most inconvenient spots!

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS: is talking to Pablo at the end of the day.

A FEW PLANS FOR THE WEEK: work on my magnet board, send Michelle her watch, mow the lawn, do some much needed laundry and watch The Office premier! Woo hoo!

Long over due...

I have been meaning to let you in on one of my favorite things but I just haven't had time to sit down and do it! Sorry to hold out on y'all-it's been crazy around here. Just as a summary, I gave myself a week off between jobs to get caught up on all the things I needed to do but instead ending up helping my Mom because her life has been too crazy! Last week was spent at hospitals visiting my Grandpa Tyler who fell down 4 weeks ago and broke his leg (he's 91), my aunt Sondra who had a minor back surgery, and my Grandma Campbell who had her hip replaced. Unfortunately, they were all at 3 different places so it made visiting a little hectic! We also spent Friday and Saturday preparing food for my newest step-cousin's wedding. After 800 kabob's, I thought I was done but then we served the food at the Rose River Reception and boy was it crazy! BUT today and tomorrow are MY days and Wednesday I start with school meetings and the kids start school next Wednesday, the 26th. Whew!
So now to get on with the point...(there is one, you were worried, but there is a POINT.) One of my all time favorite roommates and best friends recently returned for a study abroad in SCOTLAND. And this study abroad just happened to be a photography study. Do you see where I am getting with this? Her work is AWESOME! I have always loved the stuff Emily does, but I am so impressed with her that I thought I would share her BLOG with you guys. Go check it out--you know you want to... (and don't forget to hit the older posts button at the bottom of the page to see more of her work!) Click HERE if you missed the other two links...

Feliz Cumpleaños Pablito

Happy Birthday Pablo! I love this guy so much that I am going to do the cliche, blogging, things I love about him for his b-day! But so that he can understand too, I'm going to put it in Spanish too!

A Few Things I Heart About Pablo/Algunas Cosas Que Amo de Pablo:
1.) Hottie! He makes my heart beat faster just lookin' at his dippling smile! Que guapo! Me hace latir más fuerte mí corazon al ver su sonrisa con margaritas!
2.) He is the world's worst liar--I can always tell when he has a surprise for me! El es el peor mentiroso del mundo--siempre sé cuando el tenga una sorpresa para mí.
3.) He tells me he loves me about 50 times a day--even if I only get to talk to him for an hour, he still fits them all in! Me dice que me ama como 50 veces al dia--aun si le hable solamente por una hora, todavía me lo dice mucho.
4.) He always completes his calling--as the 1st counselour in the Stake YM Presidency, Pablo always has something to do and does it well! Siempre cumpla con su llamamiento--como el primer consejero del HHJJ de la estaca, siempre hay algo que hacer y lo hace bien!
5.) Pablo is sensitive and will get emotional over the sweet things. Pablo es muy sensible y se emociona por las cosas dulces.
6.) He is the most talented publicist I know! He does awesome work and works hard to learn new things every day! El es el publicista con más talento que conozco. El hace un buen trabajo y trabaja fuerte cada dia para aprender cosas nuevas!
7.) He gives the most thoughtful gifts--some of my favorites are my favorite Chilean candies, a beautiful purse and awesome jewelry. El da los regalos mas pulentos--algunos de mis preferidos son dulces chilenos, una cartera hermosa y joyas lindas.
8.) He cracks me up daily! Me hace reir cada dia!
9.) Pablo is always positive about everything. Only twice have I ever heard him complain and before he did it he said, I don't mean to complain but... Wow! I could learn from his example! Pablo siempre es muy positivo de todo. Solamente dos veces le he escuchado quejandose y antes que lo hacia dijo, No quiero quejarme pero...Wow! Podría aprender de su ejemplo!
10.) Pablo was an awesome missionary. I have talked to a few of his companions who have told me that Pablo was their favorite companion--what a great compliment! Pablo fue un misionero excelente. He hablado con algunos de sus companeros que me han dicho que el fue su companero preferido--que complemento mas grande!
11.) He listens to crazy music--he gets in these music zones for months at a time and even though I'm not crazy about Bob Marley, I still love Pablo! El escucha musica loka--se pone en una zona de musica por meses seguidos y aun que no me gusta Bob Marley, le amo a Pablo!
12.) Pablo loves his Super Heros and though he is turning 27, sometimes I wonder if he is really only turning 12. Pablo le encantan los Super Heroes y aun que va a cumplir 27, a veces pienso que realmente va a cumplir 12.
13.) Pablo is an only child and does a lot for his parents without ever complaining like I would do! Pablo es hijo unico y hace mucho por sus padres sin quejarse como yo haría!
14.) Pablo already loves all of my nephews and feels something special for each one already. When Dayton was born, Pablo told EVERYONE that he was a new Uncle again! Pablo ya ama a cada uno de mis sobrinos y se siente algo especial por cada uno ya. Cuando nacio Dayton, Pablo contaba a TODOS que el era un Tio de nuevo!
15.) Since deciding to get married in Santiago, Pablo has been head wedding planner/best groom ever--he is right in the middle of all the plans and has basically taken over all of the major plans--how many girls can say their hubbys did most of the wedding planning?! Desde que nos decidimos a casarnos en Santiago, Pablo ha sido el hombre en cargado de planificar la boda/ el mejor novio--el esta haciendo todos los planes y basicamente ha tomado todos los planes--cuantas chicas se pueden decir que que sus esposos planificaron casi toda la boda?
16.) Pablo has been waking up every morning early to read the Book of Mormon in English--what dedication to learn English! Pablo se levanta cada dia bien temprano para leer el Libro de Mormon en inglés--que dedicación para aprender Inglés!
17.) I love Pablo for who he is and for what he does. He makes me happier then I have ever been and I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with him. It may have taken us 27 years to get together, but I have eternity to be with him! Amo a Pablo por quien es y por lo que hace. El me hace mas contenta que he estado and estoy animada para estar con el por toda mi vida. Se tomo 27 anos para encontrarnos, pero estare con el por toda la eternidad!

Feliz cumpleanos mi amorcito! Eres mi vida y espero que tu dia sea lo mejor y que lo pases re bien! Gracias por todo lo que haces por mi y por ser el hombre de mis suenos! Happy Birthday!

You all know I'm random...

Okay this picture actually has nothing to do with this post, but I took it in February in Chile. I was going through some pictures of Pablo and I to edit and stumbled upon it and thought I would post it. Blogs are better with pictures, right?

Anyways, I think it is safe to say that tomorrow I am giving my 2 weeks notice and am once again switching jobs. Surprise, surprise, right? This time it's a switch to Blackfoot School District (wow!). I'll be working in Fort Hall Elementary in their kindergarten room. I am excited for the new job and so ready to be done with my current one for so many reasons. I love, love, LOVE the kids but I hate the way the program is run (or the people "running" it...)

Wedding plans are going well--but there has been a minor switch in locations and it looks like I'll be getting married in the Santiago temple. So, anyone who would love to come see Chile is more than welcome to come to our wedding! :) Put a tentative date on your calendar for December 23rd!

July 4th

This is a great sign to sum up my 4th of July! Just kidding, there weren't any "poop" conditions and we actually had a really good time! (This is an actual sign in Yellowstone Park--I was laughing so hard I HAD to take a picture!) The 4th of July is probably my favorite holiday (it's a toss up between the 4th and Christmas, I love them both!) There is just something awesome that you feel when you watch the fireworks and realize all the sacrifices that so many have made so that we can live in a free country. Anyways, we went up to Island Park on the 2nd to stay in my brother in law's cabin. We drove into West Yellowstone that night and saw Footloose at the Playmill Theater. We had great seats located right on the stage. It was a fun show!
On Friday we drove into Yellowstone and went on the Northern loop and saw Norris Geysers, Mammoth Falls and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. I know that I had seen all of those when I was a lot younger, but it was so fun to see. Here's Blake and I at Norris Geysers. I think he thought they were going to be "guys" but there was just a lot of steam coming out. On Saturday we did our tradition of going to a movie and lunch--we saw Up (very, very cute!) and had a nice Birthday lunch at Jonny Carino's. It's my younger brother Tim's birthday the fourth. (I know, he gets a parade AND fireworks for his birthday!) Here's Blake and I waiting for the sun to set to watch the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration! It was a great weekend and it was nice to get out of Blackfoot and do something. I hope you all had a great 4th of July too!

What I've Been Up To

Wow it's been a while since I have updated--sorry to leave you hanging (all two of my faithful followers!) I have actually been plenty busy with Primary, Family Reunions, Relay for Life, work and other stuff. I've been working on a few projects lately that I wanted to share with y'all too.
I bought a kitchen table and chairs at the Relay for Life garage sale. I was excited because the price was right and Pablo and I will be needing someplace to eat. The only thing is that they need to be stripped and re painted. As of right now, they are just waiting for me in my parents garage! I'm sure they are so glad I bought them!

My next project is a sneak peek for Michelle. I bought a bunch of fun beads and soon they will be your watch! I will get it done soon, I promise!

My friend Yesica from Chile is expecting a baby girl so I decided I needed to make her a rag quilt. I'm not much of a seamstress as you all may know but I do like working on smaller projects. Hopefully this one will turn out right!

I LOVE Bob!

Thanks to the idea from my friend Stephanie, I added a ticker to my overall goal of weight loss on the side... And I just found a new, awesome tool to help encourage. If you have ever watched The Biggest Loser then I am pretty sure it is hard not to just love Bob Harper. There is just something about him that makes me want him as my own personal trainer. So, I stumbled upon his own site that you can log into for FREE and get encouragement, challenges, etc.
Check it out at www.mytrainerbob.com. Also, as if that is not enough Bob for you, his new book just came out in paperback and it's on my wishlist! It's called, Are You Ready! Oh, I just love Bob!

To the Highest Bidder!

So the Relay for Life is coming quick and I haven't done my part to raise some money. I think it's a great cause and I'm so excited to go and participate, even if it means walking all night. Laura has put together a great team this year and I'm excited to get to know these ladies better.
Okay, so I'll get to the point. At the Relay there is a great way to raise money by buying a luminaria bag. They are sold for $10 and each bag is to represent someone you know who has passed away or has been a survivor of cancer. On the night of the Relay, our team will put out all of the luminaria bags that our team has gathered and light them with a candle. Then everyone there will do a walk around the track in silence for those people. It is an awesome experience and helps you realize that the reason you are there is for those people.
So where am I going with this? I want YOU (yes, Y-O-U) to get involved too! I know that money is tight but I also know that $10 is a great way for you to donate and be able to honor someone you love. You can donate online and I can decorate the bag for you or if you want to get the money to me, I will get you a bag and you can decorate it yourself. And if you are close by, feel free to come the night of the Relay and see what it is all about!
I'm going to through out an extra incentive. I'm sure most of you have seen these cute watches like this one:
Well, I will bid off a watch to the highest bidder. You can even tell me if you want it black and white, browns or even specific colors. But the best part of the deal is that the highest bidder will not only get the watch, but all the money will go to the Relay AND they can apply that money to as many luminaria bags as possible in as many names as they want. So, once again the highest bidder will get: the custom designed watch, money donated to the American Cancer Society AND pick the name/names for the luminaria bags! WOW! Leave me a comment with your bids and I will let the bidding go until next Friday!
Also, if you are just interested in donating, you can do so by sending me some money (checks made out to the American Cancer Society) or by clicking HERE to donate online. Thanks and good luck!

Community Council of Idaho

I haven't blogged in a bit because I haven't had time! Why? (You may be asking yourself, I don't know...maybe your not?) I got a new job! I am working for the Community Council of Idaho (CCI) in their Migrant Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) as an Infant Teacher. I just had two days of training in Idaho Falls and it has me really excited!
So what do I do? I will be working with the kids 0-2, talking to them in Spanish and English and helping them get the skills they may or may not be getting at home. The downside of my job is that it is in Aberdeen so I am driving a long, boring drive every day but the pay is awesome and the benefits a plenty so I am satisfied! And yes, I am the only gringa/white/non-Hispanic person that is currently employed in Aberdeen but my co-workers are all pretty great and a lot of fun to be around! So, here's to this season of MSHS!

Pablo's Portfolio

As his future bride, I think I have the right to brag just a bit about Pablo. (Comes with the title, right?) I guess more than just brag, I am just proud of Pablo for all that he has accomplished recently.
Pablo has been studying for 5 years to become a Publicist--it a degree that is similiar to a Bachelor's here. Last week he presented his final project and thesis to a board of teachers and passed with flying colors! He made this amazing animated flash video and other things to present. Here are a few pictures of that day:
Here he is presenting to the teachers.

And here he is with his parents afterwards.
He has been working so hard on finishing up everything and I am so proud of him. His degree is a Publicist with a minor in Creativity and he also is certified to teach publicity. What a mouthful! He just set up an awesome blog/portfolio so you can check it out by clicking HERE. I know it's in Spanish, but the ads he has designed are pretty self explanatory. All of the stuff on there is his original work! ( I think he has talent!)
Pablo is a first generation college grad too. I think that's what makes his story even more amazing--neither of his parents were able to go to college and as their only son, he has made them proud by enduring to the end. I know he has made lots of sacrifices to be where he is. After his mission he had no money to pay for school, supplies, etc. So he walked to the street markets (feria) and sold his clothes and books to be able to pay for them. I don't even know what that would be like, to sacrifice that much just to study. I am so proud of him and the amazing example that he is to me.
Entonces felicidades Pablo! Estoy TAN orgullosa de ti y todo lo que has hecho! Te amo muchisimo!

2.5

I couldn't find a picture of 2.5 on google so this will have to do. After my long week of just a few moments of weakness, plenty of sweat and lots of whole grains I dropped 2.5 pounds. It's a start and I have another week to try a little harder and do a little better.

Mark, Kate and Charlie

I just wanted to spread the news--my former boss and his wife Kate are getting ready to adopt Number 2! I was around them when they got their first little guy, Charlie, and it was such a neat experience to see. You can tell by the way they look at him, that Charlie is LOVED. And I mean A LOT! He is sweet little boy and they have been amazing parents.
Here's just an example: The first time they left Charlie to go out to dinner, I offered to watch him for Mark. I think it was Kate's birthday so they were going to drive to IF for dinner. I am pretty sure they weren't even gone 3 hours and I think Kate called atleast 3 or 4 times. I didn't mind at all because you knew that she just wanted to know how he was, what he was doing and if he missed her. (I am sure he did!)
The point of this post: Sometimes adoption goes a lot better if you can help them. I know that my little blogging world isn't as large as it could be, but you never know. I put a button on my blog and I will also put a link to their adoption blog HERE. If you know someone or know someone who knows someone that is thinking of giving up their baby for adoption, I would HIGHLY recommend this family! Let me know if you have any prospects! I would love to see them get another baby!

I'm doing it...

It is way overdue and just in time but last weekend I committed myself and bought this AWESOME book above. I don't know if any of you feel like me, but I feel like every diet, every new exercise routine is going to be inspiring and helpful and I never last on them!
My mom actually got me watching The Biggest Loser when I got home and I never really watched it before but I have really gotten into it this season (I'm cheering for Tara! She's my hero!) It has really inspired me and then when I stumbled across this book, I decided it is time to start.
I spent 2 hours at the grocery store on Saturday finding all the right stuff and really looking at labels. I have my Biggest Loser Cardio Max and Power Sculpt DVD's on hand and I am ready. So, why am I writing this all down? I guess because if I don't, I am afraid I will just fail again. (Does that make sense?) They also say you need to write your goals down and report to someone. Well, whether you want to hear it or not, I am writing it down and reporting! Stay tuned more updates...

Gratitude Attitude

Recently I have been given some friendly and not so friendly reminders that I have been in a slump since I moved back. I didn't know that my unhappiness and bad attitude was effecting everyone else but I have really been trying to work on it lately. It's hard when life just doesn't work out the way we want or plan, but I think the thing I have been forgetting is that God still loves me, He has a plan for me and I just need to roll with the punches! (It's so easy to forget that sometimes!)

Here are 15 things that I am grateful for: (in no particular order)

1.) My Family--do they get much better than these guys?!
2.) The Gospel. Sometimes I wonder how everyone else deals with things without the knowledge that I have.
3.) Having a job. It may be part-time and it may not be my dream job but money is money and I am glad I have just a little bit.
4.) Hot showers.
5.) Spring
6.) Yard work! It is a great hobby and a wonderful way to fill up extra time!
7.) The Biggest Loser Workouts--also wonderful ways to get rid of stress!
8.) Technology like gmail chat, Skype and MSN messenger.
9.) Great friends--all of you have been great support and I don't know what I would do without your shoulders to cry on!
10.) My Ward Family. Not a Sunday passes without people who love me hugging me and cheering me on.
11.) My parents. I know I already said family, but they deserve their own line--for putting up with me in their home and helping me along the way.
12.) Having a full belly--I am blessed to have never really known what hunger is.
13.) My nephews also deserve a line to themselves because they are what keeps me going somedays!
14.) Life--it has its ups and downs but man, I'm sure glad I am in the middle of it!
15.) Pablo. Words don't describe how grateful I am for him and all that he does for me!

Wonderful Weekend

What did you do this last weekend? Well, we had too much fun at my house! Friday was Lloyd and Sunni's wedding--it was so fun to see this happy couple get together! Lloyd is my sister-in-law Amber's youngest brother (what a mouthful!) but he has kind of been like another little brother to me for a long time now! I am happy for him and Sunni!And then we just played the rest of the weekend! (While we enjoyed Conference) Because Amber is here from out of town, we had to fit all our fun projects into one weekend! We decided to make these fun watches. Well, we were going to wait until next Saturday but we were too excited to wait! Here is just a sample of how cute they turned out!Isn't it cute? I think so. See--I am super crafty now! And then we decided to make some cake pops---YUMMY! Not so healthy but so cute and super good. We got this idea from Bakerella, a way fun blog! Check it out HERE. Ours were not as...creative, but still taste the same! I hope you all had a great weekend too!

It's that time again!

Relay for Life Time! Well, not quite. June 19, 2009 is actually the time, but if you want to get involved, then now is the time to start. For those of you who do not know much about Relay For Life, it is time you learned!

Last year was our first year to get involved and it was truly an awesome experience. I know a few of your fellow bloggers are involved too and I hope to see you there again! (To read about last year, click HERE.)

Just to give a bit of a back ground too, Relay For Life is like a giant fundraiser where we, as teams, pledge to have atleast one person from our team walking for 12 hours. Last year I think it was from like 7 pm to 7 am. Yup. All night long! And as we keep up our end of the bargain, we ask people to donate to the cause. It's just a huge-12 hour-all night fundraiser full of plenty of stuff to do to help keep you up and walking!

So why am I putting all this in here right now? To get you involved! My mom has a team with Julie Van Orden and my sister Laura decided to start her own team this year (which I belong to!) If ANY OF YOU are somewhat interested in joining our team, donating, or maybe just coming the night of the 19th, let me know! It is such a great cause and it is an amazing experience. So any of you local chicks that want to join in the fun, please let me know! We would love to have you! And any of you from last year that want to switch teams, we would love to have you too!

I CAN be crafty...

This may come as a shock to you all, but I MADE this bag! (See picture above.) Yup. Basically all by myself. (Laura did do a little ironing for me, thanks Lar!) I have decided that I do need to take up some of sort of hobby to fill my free time because when I don't have something to do, I go crazy here. And since it is not nice outside, that leaves few options.

Okay, so if you think my bag is pretty cute (which I do) then you can get instructions to make it by clicking HERE. She is a somewhat friend--her husband was Pablo's last mission companion. But she has some fun ideas and most are for kids, which I don't have, but this bag was quick and fun to make. It currently holds ALL my Primary stuff and has room to spare.

If you do decide you want to make it, I found really cute tea towels at Porters for pretty cheap. And, at the very end of the tutorial when she sewed her bag together, she just sewed one side on top of the other. (This will make sense when you read the post) But I did not. It was WAY too thick to get a needle through. So I just cut off the hem all around my two halves of the bag and sewed it right sides together (triple stitch if you can) and serged the edges. (Or you could zig-zag like she does.) But that thickness was not going to make it on my Mom's machine!

But I hope you like it! It was really fast and pretty easy and now I have great Primary bag!

I looked out the window and what did I see???

NOT SPRING!I thought that I was getting back to Idaho JUST in time for Spring...boy was I wrong! I can not believe these little snow storms that are coming through. Last night as I was talking to Pablo, I just watched it go from some what pleasant outside to light snow to wind blowing drifts of snow all over! What?! So ridiculous...that's it, I'm packing my bags and moving back. Pronto! Anyone wanna come with me?

I'm a survivor!

Well, I have been home 2 weeks now today and I am actually pretty proud of myself. I live in my parents basement. I am going to church in my parents ward. I just got a part time job at the ever so famous Junior High. And yet I am trying to have a pretty good attitude about ALL of this!

I do miss Pablo and the WARM weather and a lot of things about Santiago. But it is so nice to eat American food, shower in a HOT shower and be around my family and friends.

(Update on those of you who I am making something for...I am very OPEN to ideas! Leave me a comment about something you want, would like, color schemes of your living rooms or whatever!)

Quick! Limited time offer!

Another fun blog game!

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make! (Though I hope you will!)
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done this year. {might be a little while}
4. You have no clue what it's going to be. I don't even have a clue what it's going to be.
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a homemade gift! It may not be great, but it will be fun!!
* * *Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!* * *

Home again, home again...

It has been a crazy few days but I am packing up and finishing up stuff here for my flight tomorrow night. It is hard to believe that on Friday afternoon I will be back in Idaho.

I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for your advice and love. Pablo and I have felt really calm about all these changes and even though it is going to be rough, we will survive. But thank you all for your advice and words of wisdom! See you soon! Oh and enjoy this nice little drawing that we had done...don´t mind my skimpy bikini...and you can enjoy Pablo´s nice hairy yet ripped stomach!

Change of Plans...Again

All good things must come to an end, right? Well how about just a little pause. I have been kind of avoiding posting this because I don´t really like thinking about it but it has to come out now! I am moving home. Now before you all start to fret, I am still happily engaged to the hottest Chilean out there and we are still getting married for time and all eternity at the end of the year! But, we have to take a little break from all of the fun we have been having and try to be adults now.

In order for Pablo to come to the States so we can get married, live, etc. he has to have a Visa (which means lots of fees and waiting 6 to 8 months) As we started making decisions like where we want to raise our family, live our lives, etc. it was obvious that in the States things are just a little better. So the next step is getting Pablo over there. Because I can make more money in the US to help pay for this nice little Visa, I am moving home. Yup. Blackfoot, here I come! (Never thought I would say that again...) And the sad reality is that Pablo will be here still. It is going to be a rough few months, but we know that in the end it will all be worth it.

So I hope that answers some questions too...I know a few of you have asked me where we are getting married, if we have a date, etc. and I haven´t really answered because we weren´t sure. But basically we can´t pick a date until Pablo´s visa is approved and we have NO idea when that will be. So stay posted for more when we get some answers. And if you have any good ideas of where I can get a job around the Blackfoot/Idaho Falls area I am open for ideas!

Emily´s Post

This post is long overdue and I am sorry Em! My friend Emily asked me a while ago to post pictures of common things in my life here in Chile to help her visualize them. So here you are Em!

Here is the subway station El Parron where I wait in the mornings to see just how crowded that darn train is going to be. Between the hours of 8 and 10, you can expect to be PUSHED on. Love public transportation!After my subway ride, I get off here, Santa Lucia. The tall building with the mirror windows is where I work--all the way at the top on the 26th floor.
Though it doesn´t look like much, here is the desk I work at as a Research Associate for Albagli Zaliasnik. They are jewish lawyers who work with trademarks. Kind of interesting I suppose. There website is here.

Though my job can be boring sometimes, I do have quite the view from the window.


After work I generally take the bus home (depends on my mood) and that can also prove to be interesting. This picture was taken on New Year´s Day which explains why no one was on the bus and the fact that I was brave enough to take a picture. Not the safest form of transportation...


Here is my view from the bus as I go home. No need for why I shouldn´t be taking out my camera on the bus I think.
When I get off the bus, Pablo is always waiting for me to walk me to his house. This was actually taken outside his house though because I probably shouldn´t pull out my camera at the bus stop either.

This is the street that Pablo lives on. Notice that there is no shade whatsoever! Sometimes I feel like I will die before getting to his house at the end of the street!


And finally I get to Pablo´s house! Where his Mom is always waiting...

Sometimes in the evenings I go with Pablo to class just to spend that extra time with him. This is the building where all of his classes are.

And then off to my home and to my room to sleep!

Mixed emotions...

It has been a LONG day already...Last night we got the news that Pablo´s grandma had passed away. I know a few of you had asked about her and we appreciate your love and thoughts. We are headed back down to Polcura tonight around 11:30 and will probably be back by Sunday.

We also got some good news today too. My younger brother Tim and his wife Abby had their first little guy last night around 1:30 am. I think his name is going to be Dayton (not sure yet...) but he weighed 8 lbs 11 oz. and is 21 inches long! I wish I was there to give him big auntie-like kisses but I am excited for them! Congratulations Tim and Abby!


Daddy with new baby boy!
Look at those cheeks! What a sweetheart!
My nephew Blake and younger sister Laura with new baby Campbell. Blake has been really excited about this baby. Since the time Abby told us she was pregnant, Blake has been saying, "Abby - Baby".