Farewell!

In February we got to go down to Utah for Ashley's farewell.


The last night we were there, we got together with Jeff, Nicole, Ashley, and Alexis to play games. Always fun!!! We were so glad to get some good bonding time in before she left to New Mexico.


Rook gets a little crazy!

We are now proud owners of...

...a new computer. Just wanted to explain my major lack of blogging this month. And to answer the question about what kind...no it's not a mac. #1) We don't have mac money #2) We don't know how to work a mac We got a very basic computer. We hardly spent any money it. It will get us by for a while (hopefully a long while). Does that make this news not as exciting? I know you're disappointed, Jared!!

Do you know anything about computers?

I need help! My computer is freaking out on me. We have an HP notebook. It is only a few years old. Yesterday while I was using the computer, I realized the volume wasn't working. When I clicked on the little megaphone on the taskbar, it said "No audio output device is installed." I don't know what that means, and it's especially odd to me because Aaron had just been watching a video a not long before that. Anyway, my sister gave me the idea to do a system restore to a previous date. I did that, and it seemed to work. Then today, it happened again. I tried that again with no luck. I've been reading all sorts of information and ideas from the HP website. I've tried downloading drivers, some sort of BIOS stuff...pretty much all sorts of stuff that hasn't worked and makes no sense to me. I'm so clueless!! So, do you know anything about this stuff?? Do you know someone who might?? I feel like I should just go buy a new computer because I don't want to spend a bunch of money to have someone tell me I need to fix something. (This happened to me last summer when we had to replace the video card thingy...$200 later. I should've just bought a new computer then!!!) Anyway, maybe someone out there knows a little something about what I'm talking about. If you do, you know where to find me!

This week's randoms

Things just seem to work themselves out sometimes. Aaron was contacted by an attorney that we worked with that does contracts for surrogates/parents. She needed another attorney to do a contract for the surrogate because she was doing the contract for the intended parents. Long story short, Aaron was able to bill out a pretty decent amount of money for not a ton of work. We were pretty excited to have this extra money to put away for vacations...until Aaron went to the dentist. He needs a crown really badly and a little filling. Even with our dental insurance, it will still be a big chunk of change! So there goes that money...but at least we had the money, right?! (Have I ever mentioned how Aaron only went to the dentist a few times during his whole childhood...the third time being right before his mission?! No wonder we are paying the price now!)

Along those same lines, our battery in the Camry finally died on me one morning. Just the day before, Aaron called me and told me to turn on the radio. I tuned in to the station and heard his voice answering questions. I thought he was calling me for help, so I was yelling out answers. It was just a recording of his call, but he actually got the questions right and won tickets to some concert in Boise. We had no desire to go to the concert, so we sold the tickets that day on Craigslist. We sold them for $80, just enough to pay for the battery and little bite to eat that night!

Elsie got invited to a Pajama & Pillow Pet party tomorrow night. I think she is the only child that doesn't own a pillow pet! I knew I needed to go out and buy one. I told Aaron about it and his immediate reaction was, "Go get her one." I didn't want her to be sad, and I was so happy that Aaron agreed. However, he wasn't quite as excited when he saw the $20 price tag. But her heart was set, and there was not turning back. She picked the pig because it will match her room. Her prayer last night was this, "Thank you for Jesus, thanks for Kung Fu Panda (Aaron and her had just been watching it), and thanks I can get a pillow pet." Love it!!!

5 things

Five random thoughts:

1. I fit into my skinny pants. They are the the jeans I bought in 2004 when I lost a bunch of weight, and I've kept them to remind me. I tried them on last week just to try it out, and sure enough they fit and I didn't have to squeeze to button them! Not gonna lie...that was the happiest I had felt for quite some time.

2. I've contemplated a lot about what I would do for a living if I could really do what I wanted. I know in the next few years I will go back to teaching, but I don't think that is really my dream job. As we were watching Cake Boss, Aaron said "We should open up a bakery." Kind of funny since it's not like we have all these great recipes or something, but I really do think that would be great. (Probably wouldn't still fit into my skinny pants, but oh well.) I think something like that would be right up my alley. Maybe someday?!

3. I subbed for a Music teacher today. During some of my down time, I plunked on the keys of the piano and realized I should've never quit piano. I want to learn again. I need a piano first, but that is definitely a goal of mine when the time is right. Maybe Elsie and I could take lessons together.

4. So sick of winter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. Okay, now that I complained about winter, I will change gears. I am so grateful for all that I have. Aaron and I were talking about how lucky we are and how much we really do have. Why do we tend to forget those things and focus on everything we don't have or on all the things we want?? We have each other, we have Elsie, we have wonderful families and friends, we have our health, we have a home, we have a job...the list goes on. I'm going to try harder to recognize those things and be content and appreciative. It sure does make life easier.

She's got a new 'do!

Elsie has been begging to get a haircut for a while now, so Aaron told me to schedule an appointment for the both of us. He suggested going short for Elsie, so we went for it! I think it looks pretty darn cute on her and makes her look so much older. (Yes, I am fully aware that we now have twinner hair. Don't judge!)

When we got home, I told her I wanted to take a picture of her new hair (which she still talks about how much she loves it). She starting pulling out all sorts of poses. She was on a roll, and I was loving it.

(This one is my favorite!)

February

I guess I have become a monthly blogger. I don't know how or when that happened, but the good ol' days of blogging several days a week (or even weekly) are long gone!


Here are some pictures from February:

This is what I saw when I walked in the house after subbing one day. It was the sweetest thing. There's not much Elsie loved more than to nap or have a sleepover with her daddy. He lets her share the pillow, and she loves that. (I'm much to light of a sleeper to snuggle that close!)

Check out our swingset that Aaron found on Craigslist for $15!! It's great. Elsie has been dying to get out there to play on it.

Just some funny pictures of Elsie walking around on all fours. She makes me laugh!

Like I said in previous posts, I've been busier this month with subbing, doing preschool, trading babysitting, trying not to go crazy while dieting, and taking a little trip down to Utah.

Aaron, Elsie, and I flew down to Utah this past weekend to say farewell to Ashley, our niece, before she goes on her mission. We were able to go to the temple to see her be sealed to her parents and then attend her farewell the next day. It was so awesome!! She is such an amazing young lady. We had a good time hanging out with the family, visiting, playing games, eating (I'll admit, I took a MAJOR break from the diet!!), and seeing a few friends. Aaron and I also got to go skiing the last day there with Jeff and Alexis. I was so nervous (I couldn't get to sleep the night before...what is my problem??), but ended up having a fun time. Everyone was very patient with me. We were busy, busy but were so glad to have a little vacation.

I'm suffering from winter blues big-time!