The Love's Shack

Soon to come....1 year photos!

2012-02-14T22:55:00.001-08:00

My little girl turned 1 on February 2nd! I got her photos done, and love how they turned out! More to come!

Maryland...here we come!!!

2012-02-07T22:55:00.001-08:00

Scarlett and Santa

2011-12-06T20:53:00.001-08:00

Above picture is BEFORE Scarlett realized she was sitting on Santa's lap......
Realizing......
End result, Scarlett does NOT like Santa!!!

Scarlett 8 month Pictures!!

2011-10-28T16:30:00.001-07:00

Scarlett is ALREADY almost 9 months old!! She is going to be an adorable blue monster for Halloween. I love these pictures!!

Stay tuned for an update!!!

2011-06-15T06:23:00.001-07:00

I'm sure nobody even attempts to look at my blog anymore since I have completely abandoned it, But I am currently in the process of updating it!!! Lots of changes over the past 5 months for us!! Update coming soon!!

You know you're almost due when.....

2011-01-11T18:03:00.000-08:00

...........the expiration date on the yogurt you buy, is AFTER your due date!!!

36 week Pictures!!

Scarlett at 35 weeks! I LOVE her little nose, chubby cheeks, and big lips!! She is beautiful to me!

33 weeks down, 7 weeks to go!!

2010-12-22T22:49:00.001-08:00

Almost 30 Weeks

2010-11-27T23:55:00.000-08:00

Changes!

2010-11-10T17:13:00.000-08:00

I am way behind on posting! Especially with some of the recent changes, which are not so recent anymore! I don't even know where to start, I am so behind!!

-I quit my job and moved!! I decided it was best for me to move back home with my family while Jon is gone and with being pregnant! I am so glad I did! I am so happy and time is flying by!

-I am working back at Cafe El Lago! I LOVE working there again and love that I get to work with my sister. I am working mainly as a host. I feel so great I decided to take advantage and work while I still can!

-We got a new car! My in laws won alomst $10,000 to put down on a new car, and they gave it to Jon and I!! We chose a 2006 4-Runner! I haven't started driving it yet because I have been waiting for the weather to change before I drive it. I hear they are great in the snow!

-One more week and I will be in my 3rd trimester! Time has been going by pretty fast, I can't believe I am 27 weeks a long now!

-I am due in 3 months from today, which means I get to see my hubby soon!! I can't wait for him to come home and spend 2 weeks with me and our new baby!

I will try and get some pictures up soon! My blogging skills have not changed yet, I am still horrible at keeping up!!! More to come!!

24 weeks

2010-10-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

Just Me........

2010-10-03T11:03:00.001-07:00

.......'N my little girl inside!!

Over half way done!!

2010-09-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

20 weeks!! I'm finally on the downhill!!

(.....Yes I am hiding my face on purpose!!!!)

18 weeks....

2010-09-06T23:17:00.001-07:00

On Labor day I went to IKEA with my mom and sisters to look for fun stuff! Here I am in the parking lot striking my poses....haha

Applebees for lunch after IKEA! (By the way, the reason I am in these pictures alone is because I have to FIGHT my mom and sisters to let me post their pictures....I'm forrbiden to post ANY!)

Trying to show the baby bump I AM developing, behind all the baggy shirts I wear!!!

Amazing Hubby

2010-08-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

I have such a wonderful husband. The day after my ultrasound, he had a HUGE bouquet of PINK and white flowers delivered to my work, telling me Congrats! on our little girlie. He is so sweet. Can I just tell you that every customer that came in, was drooling over them?! I was so proud to say "yup, those are mine! And they are from the most wonderful husband in the world!" I love you Jon, and miss you everyday. Thanks for being the most wonderful person and my best friend forever!!

Excited to Announce........

2010-08-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

Today was the day that we got to find out that we're havin' a GIRL!!!!! We are so excited!!! It was fun to have my mom, sisters, mother-in-law, and cousin there with me. We were able to include Jon in on the excitement by bringing the web cam! Thank goodness for SKYPE! We have a name picked out (well, I have had it picked out for at least 3 years now...). She is going to be Little Miss SCARLETT Love!!! We can't wait!!

We celebrated with lunch afterwards! Thanks for coming to support me!

My wonderful support system!!

My two sisters and I. Yes, the taller one is the youngest!!

Jon's cousin Kristie setting up the Web Cam! Thanks for helping with that!

This is the best we could do for a photo together!!

Chattin with my hubby, wishing he could have been there with us!

Proud mama to be!!

P.S. I can aready tell this baby is going to be difficult.....The Dr. could NOT get a good position to tell if it was a boy or girl! She was not cooperating! He actually told us it was a boy at first because he thought he saw "little man parts". We eventually had to try a different method (Of which I am not going to get TOO graphic here.....) We just needed a better view ;) Anyway, the Dr. said it's a good thing we double checked cuz it's a GIRL!

One more week...

2010-08-16T23:47:00.000-07:00

One more week till I find out if I'm havin'

One of these.......

Or One of these.....

And I can't Wait!!!!

Being Pregnant= No motivation

2010-07-11T15:13:00.001-07:00

I know I always say that I am the worst blogger ever. And here I am saying it again. Before, my excuse was that Jon was leaving and we were so busy. I thought I would have a lot of time to blog after he left, which, I do. BUT, now that I am pregnant, I have lost all motivation to do ANYTHING. I am so tired and have no energy. I now go to work on a daily basis with no makeup, hair not done, and clothes that I don't even know if they match. My room is a mess and I need to do laundry, but it just sits....and sits....and sits......waiting to be done. And then there is my blog. Completely neglected. I am hoping that during my 2nd trimester, things will change. I need my energy back! As far as my pregnancy and 1st doctors apt:

-I am due February 10th

-I will find out at the end of August if I am having a boy or girl

-I am hungry EVERY second of the day

-I dont have morning sickness, unless I dont eat. FOOD is (unfortunately) the cure.

-I am still working, and plan to until I absolutely cant anymore

-I CRAVE mexican food, and anything high in carbs. Bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.

-Like I said, I am tired with no energy or motivation.

-Gotta love being bloated everyday!

I guess I need to be grateful that I am not bending over the toilet with horrible morning sickness. I feel pretty lucky, actually.

My poor hubby is just heartbroken that he has to miss all of this. He wishes more than anything that he could be here. We are crossing our fingers that he will be able to make it home for the birth.

Overall, we are thrilled. I am now officially content with the idea, whereas at first, I was a little freaked out and shocked. But now I am convinced, that this pregnancy is what is going to get me through Jon's deployment. It will keep me busy, always looking forward to my next dr's appointment. In the end, I truely believe that Heavenly Father knows what is best for us..... I used to think that the LAST situation I would want to be in is: pregnant, home alone, husband gone, 2 dogs to take care of, not knowing if I would be able to keep my job or not....But now that I am in the situation, I would not have it any other way. It is meant to be. I underestimated myself before, thinking I couldn't do it. Heavenly father had more trust in me, knowing that I could.

It's number 2 for us!

2010-06-28T15:09:00.001-07:00

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband. Today we celebrate our 2nd year of marriage! Although, we are celebrating our Anniversary long distance this time.......
I'm so sad we could not be together today, Jon. I am thrilled to continue life with you and our family that we have started to create! Thank you for being a courageous, brave, soldier. I love you!
P.S. To everyone: Blog will be going private this week.

Just a Reminder!

2010-06-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

Jon leaves soon, so I will officially be making our blog private for sure within the next 2-3 weeks. If you have not already, please leave your email if you would like to still view our blog!
Thank you!

What a week....

2010-06-14T14:39:00.000-07:00

This past week was very busy with our temple sealing, and then we had a going away get together for Jon. The turnout was great, and my mother in law did a great job hosting it at her house, because we got rained out of the park!! Thanks to all who came!
Well our hectic week gets more hectic, come Sunday evening. 2 weeks till Jon leaves, and SURPRISE!!!! I am pregnant!!!!! This came as a complete shock, I am still shocked. It will be tough with Jon missing everything.......I swear though, if I can go through THIS alone, then I can do anything!!! Jon is thrilled! We are excited to go through this together, even though I guess its long distance. :) When I told Jon, his response was, "Well, we went through the temple and now we are being blessed!" I am sooooooo glad we were able to go through the temple this week!!

Best Day of my Life

2010-06-11T00:06:00.000-07:00

Jonathan & Michelle

Sealed for Time & All Eternity

June 10th, 2010

Best Day of My Life.....

Yes we are..going private

2010-06-06T01:37:00.000-07:00

For obvious safety/security reasons, my husband has asked me to make our blog private. So, anyone who would like to still look at our blog, please leave your email. I never really thought we would go private, but being in the military I guess it is safer.
Thanks!!

Hectic

2010-06-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

I know everytime I post I am full of excuses as to why I never post, or put pictures on! Well, here I am again, with more excuses! But to be honest, life has been crazy and hectic for us! I think there is so much anticipation with Jon leaving, that we are just non stop for the most part. Jon will leave at the end of June, :( So we are trying to spend as much time together as possible before he leaves, yet still working our busy schedules with our jobs. Ok, I am definitely not as busy at work as my poor husband is!
We are alive though! And I hope no one has given up hope on me and my posts! :( Just bare with me till the end of June! I promise I will be back, probably with more time than ever b/c my husband wont be around to keep me as busy :(

As of Late..

2010-04-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

I am oficially the world's worst blogger. I went on a wonderful vacation to Spain, and have not even posted pictures yet! Well, in all fairness, we took so many pictures I feel overwhelmed and dont even know where to start! I know, bad excuse. But I promise, they will come!!!
We have had a lot going on lately and also have some major upcoming events!!

-On April 12th, Jon turned 32!! What can I say? I love being married to a mature and stable man! ;)

-We have started putting up our fence! Yay! No more stress and anxiety about the dogs having near death experiences!

-Our good friend from Monterey came to visit us! Leigh and her husband became very good friends with Jon and I out at DLI when we lived in California. She is headed to the East Coast to live, while her husband is at military training in Texas. She was so nice to stop and visit some ol' friends in Utah. We love you!!

-I got promoted to assistant manager at work! This was a HUGE compliment of all the effort I put into my job. I am SO excited for this new position. And hey! When does a little extra money hurt?

-On a depressing note, Jon will be deploying to Iraq at the end of June, until next MAY. :( What on earth am I EVER going to do with myself? I could go on and on about how I am dreading this, but I'm not going to. I will be supportive of him, and try to get through it.

-On a happier note, Jon and I are getting SEALED in the Bountiful temple on June 10th. We could not be more excited. We can't wait. It's been a long time comin'!

-In July, I am going with Jon's family to the 'Kings of Leon' concert!! :)

-My family is planning a trip (cross your fingers) this fall. We are hoping for Italy this time!

-A trip for me to North Carolina to visit my one and only 'amiga' from my spanish class, Cristina. Hopefully I will be going in July!

These are just a few things that have been keeping us extra busy, and that is another reason I have not posted, OR commented on other people's blogs!
I will do better! I promise!

'TIll next time.....

Play time is OVER

2010-04-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it home to Utah on Easter Sunday. I am a little sad. The vacation is over, it's back to work, back to the stresses of every day life....Sigh.....It was such a wonderful vacation, just me and my hubby. I'm already ready for my next vacation... :(

25.......In Spain!!

2010-03-31T01:36:00.000-07:00

Who in the world (besides people that live here...) gets to spend their 25th Birthday in Spain?? What a Birthday I will never forget.....!
Also, I have to give a shout out to Brooklyn Harward! Brookie and I share the same birthday! She is turning 2 this year! Yay! Happy Birthday Brooklyn!!
P.S. Although my posts says I'm posting on March 31st, my birthday is really April 1st! Here in Spain it is April 1st, but I guess the computer is going off of Utah time??

Things I have learned so far....

2010-03-29T08:11:00.001-07:00

Here are a list of things I have learned so far on my vacation......
- I cannot sleep on planes!!
- I love to travel, but hate trying new foods! (pickiest eater EVER!!)
- My face apparently breaks out BAD on vacations!! :(
- Wow, I do not speak Spanish nearly as well as I thought!!
- But, after being here for a few days, my Spanish has definitely improved!
- Note to self: Yes, I may be able to ask a random person a question in Spanish, BUT, am I prepared to understand the ANSWER in Spanish??? (Noooo!)
- Need the best tour guide ever?? My husband!! Never been to Barcelona, but always knows where we are, where we need to go, and where we were!! I'm shocked at how awesome he is!!
- Tests have proven...Canon IS better than Nikon. Dropped my Canon camera in Thailand from the top of some bleachers 2 years ago, and it still works. Jon dropped my brand new Nikon camera from waist level, and it is a GONER!! (Don't tell Matt Van Komen, Jon says...)
- Europe is DANG expensive!!! Holy Crap!!
- Spain is 7 hours ahead of Utah
- I have the best husband ever! Sooooooooo patient with me. Let's me buy anything I want. Always asks me what I WANT to eat. Points out every single dog he sees, to show me (because I love dogs). Will do anything for me. Goes on wile goose chaises to find ME Mcdonald's breakfast.
- When I'm at home, my dogs drive me CRAZY. When not with me, I miss them SO much.
- I found another dog I want to get in France. (Jon won't let me... probably a good thing)
- I feel like just by looking at me I scream "HI, I'm American!!" (because of my blonde hair, and fake tan!)
-Will NEVER do another spray tan again!! Orange hands, face, and feet!! (Yes, I do work at a tanning salon, and love it! But spray tans are not for me. Or I just don't know how to do them right!!)
-Bangs tied back in a bobbie pin. Best way to do my hair for vacations.
And....my husband just told me "Less is more" In other words, Stop writing!!
Adios y'all!! Pictures to come soon!!

In Spain..

2010-03-25T22:34:00.000-07:00

We are currently enjoying our time in SPAIN!!
Pics and blog updates to come soon!!

The Luckiest Girl (ME!!)

2010-02-25T15:17:00.000-08:00

FINALLY!! Our vacation is planned! My hubby asked me if I trusted him to plan everything, and he was going to surprise me. Long story made short- I found out!! Here are our plans:

What?--- 10 nights, rental car, and hotel accommodations, and TONS of sight seeing!!
Who?----Jon and I
And Finally........Drum Roll please..........
Where?
Eleven Days in......SPAIN!!!!

With an over night layover on the way home in.........PARIS!!!

I feel like the luckiest girl ever!!! I am soooooo excited to go!! You are the BEST ever, Jon!!!
P.S. And I know Spanish! So I can practice while I'm there!!!

For Valentines Day....

2010-02-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

....My Sweet as can be husband, had flowers delivered to my work on Saturday the 13th. They were too pretty to just put in the break room, so I left them up front as the centerpiece. I had all the girls drooling....:) They were gorgeous and........

......HUGE!!!!! The flower arrangement was massive, and weighed a ton!!!

And now they are the centerpiece for the kitchen table. :) Love them!

My hubby also opened up an Angels card at Victoria's Secret for me. This is VERY dangerous. VS is my MOST favorite store ever!! I could live in their sweat outfits and cute summer clothes!! My first purchase was this darling sweat outfit...

Sweat pants with matching jacket....

Only I got them in purple!! (not yellow) I just could not find a pic of them in purple, other than this little pic. I looooove it and cant wait to wear it!!

Thanks hubby!!! Love u!!

My little Lucky Charm!!

2010-02-11T16:07:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday night we went to dinner for my nephews B-day. Like any other day, we took the dogs over to my in laws since they have a fenced yard, and dropped them off while we went to celebrate. A few hours later we went back and picked them up, ready to go home to bed. They were both in the backyard when we got them, but Dobby came in limping, holding his front left leg up. We looked at it and saw an abrasion on his leg where some skin and fur had been scraped off. We knew it was not a dog bite, so I started to think maybe he tried to squeeze through the fence to the neighbors yard. I later got a phone call from my mother-in-law. The neighbor from across the street came over to report: Dobby was RUN over by a car!! Now when I say run over, I mean he was under the car as it drove over him. The women driving said she "ran over" him, but did not feel a "thump". She got out to check and Dobby stood there in shock for a minute and then ran off. Somehow Dobby managed to stay between the tires!! She left her name and number at the neighbors house, because she was worried about him and wanted me to call her and let her know if he was ok. How nice huh?? We took Dobby to the vet the next morning. Not one broken bone! Only a few scrapes. Can you say miracle?? I am still in shock that my little Dobby only had a few scrapes. Someone was looking out for us....
The vet said "He must have good luck because he has a 4 leaf clover collar." I thought that was cute! And now he is my little Lucky Charm!!

Here is Dobby with his legs wrapped up in the Camoflauge Gauze that they gave us at the vet. Poor guy is holding his hurt leg up.

Dobby wearing his "lucky" four leaf clover collar.

I'm such a slacker

2010-01-30T20:04:00.000-08:00

Holy Cow!! What happened to me? I used to be so on top of my blog and always updating it! I can't believe how awful I have been at keeping up on my blog and also commenting on everyone else's blogs!! :S
Please forgive me, I need to find some pictures and think of something fun to post, otherwise I will just end up posting about food!!
:) Love you all!!

Oh the Holidays....

2010-01-03T20:48:00.000-08:00

Yep, you better believe it! That IS Jon Schmidt! We went with our friends Mike and Ashley to see his Christmas concert! Amazing!! Our hubbies dressed up in their uniforms and took us out!!

Ashley getting a CD signed by the cellist! He was awesome! Talk about talent.....

Next fun adventure...Gingerbread houses at the Robison's!! Pictured is Jon, Danny, Rebecca and Rebecca's friend Bethany.

Alayna concentrating very hard on her work....

I'm a little behind. I think mine took 3 hours to make!!!

Jon and his finished product!

What a creative guy he is. This is his gas station, with a motorcycle and a car parked inside, and two gas pumps outside with licorice handles and pretzel pumps!!

Time for a break I guess!

Yummmmmmyyy!!

Here is my masterpiece! I guess I was wishing I was somewhere warm and tropical, and was therefore influenced on my gingerbread house! Mine is located on an Island in Hawaii, complete with a palm tree, a fire, rocks, fish, a surfer dude, native Hawaiins (gummi bears) and a gras hut! (Thanks for letting me have some rabbit bedding for my roof, Becky!!)

So Proud!!

Me and my "little" (14 years old and about 5'9) sister! She is apparently crouching down to match my height!

Cutest Christmas doughnuts ever!!

Presents on Christmas Eve under my parents tree!

Me and my children on Christmas morning! Jon is a big Utes fan, I dont' really care bout sports. But I will wear ANY team that has cute apparel!! (Thanks Jon for the cute Utes Shirt!!)

You better believe we are matching!!

Lil' Dobbers!

Christmas day at the Love's house. My cute nephew Cody with his new Devastater toy (Transformers!)

Jon's army buddy Chad spent the evening with us! Love him!!

And of course, Football!

My new perfume from Jon's mom, which smells awesome!! She knows I love anything with the word "Love" on it!! Even perfume!!

My mother in law, sister in law, and nephew enjoying christmas!! What a great day!

And, last but not least, my work Christmas Party!! Here we are playing "Win, Lose, or Draw" We ate yummy Mexican food at a place out in Ogden. It was a blast!

The artists...

I can NEVER, for the LIFE of me, get Jon to take a "normal" photo....

My turn to draw!!

Playing "Catch Phrase" next!

What a fun party! They took great care of us this year, giving away awesome prizes! My bosses for work are Bernice (pink shirt) and her husband Brian (to the right of her). I LOVE my work, and could not have asked for a better job. Love the girls I work with and am so grateful to have a job in this economy!

For new years, Jon and I, and our friends Nick and Jen, went to Olive Garden for dinner and then went and saw Sherlock Homles. Good movie! After that, Jon and I made it home by eleven thirty, just in time to spend the New Year with the Doggies!! :) Yep, they are like children to us. We have had a great Holiday season and are so grateful for our families and friends. Can't wait to see what 2010 brings us!!

Any Ideas???

2009-12-13T17:10:00.000-08:00

So, Jon and I are planning a vacation in february or march!! We have a few ideas, but would appreciate any suggestions if anybody has any reccomendations! We have talked aboout cruises vs. not a cruise. We have talked about South America, so I can speak Spanish! Costa Rica, Panama, and we have also thrown around the idea of Australia/New Zealand!! We can't decide if we want to do a cruise! Jon wants to but I dont know if I do!! Ideas/Suggestions would be great!!

$125...and Counting....

2009-12-13T00:11:00.000-08:00

This($125) may not seem like a lot, but when you figure between Jon and I(when I say "Jon and I", what I really mean is "Jon has purchased, but I have used!) we have purchased 5 twenty five dollar gift cards for ourselves in the past month and they are all GONE!!! Special: "Buy a $25 gift card and get a free 16 oz of your choice!" "On what??" you may ask.....An addiction I have. MINIMUM 5 days a week, if not 6. I can't live without it.
My order:
16 ounce (or 20 ounce, depending on the day) Chunky Strawberry from Jamaba Juice
Yes I would like a Free Boost
No lid, I'll eat it as soon as I get in my car!
Cheddar tomatoe bread twist
Yes, heated up please.
Total: $8.01 (times 5-6 days a week. Yep! It adds up!!)
But...It is SOOOOOOOOOO worth it!!

Four

2009-11-28T19:05:00.000-08:00

Spending time with Dobby at the animal shelter. He is a papered Schnauzer!

Enjoying the ride home to a new life. Stella is trying to cuddle with him.

Nap time....

So handsome after a haircut!! My lil' schnauzer! I fell in love with his long scraggly hair when I first saw him, but I thought I would clean him up so he could wear a sweater!

Some may say I'm baby hungry, but the answer is, I love animals more than anything. I got Dobby (pronounced daw-bee like on Harry Potter, previously named that, 4 years old, don't want to change it!) from the Weber County animal shelter. Poor lil' guy was turned in by his owners. My heart breaks every time I go into an animal shelter. I want them all. I wish more than anything, that I could save them all. I am now no longer allowed (by my husband) to go into another animal shelter, because he knows I will come out with a third! And he is right. Dobby is so mellow and sweet. Stella loves her big brother, and wants to play all the time. I love my dogs. I will always adopt my dogs from the animal shelter as long as I live. Never will I buy one from a breeder. There are way too many that need homes. Since July, I have adopted three dogs. It brings me so much joy and fulfillment. I am SO thankful to heavenly father for giving us the cutest, fluffiest, sweetest, furriest, most loyal friends. Oh how much he must love us to let us have these lil' critters in our lives!! I am happy that Dobby has now made our family a family of.....Four.

Regrets.....But oh well.

2009-11-14T14:54:00.000-08:00

My long hair :(

Now......

Not sure what Stella is thinking.......

I cut my hair. I regret it. I wish I hadn't. Now I can't do it curly-such an easy hair style to do. Oh well. It will grow.....I guess.

Happy Veterans Day

2009-11-11T21:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Veterans Day to my wonderful hubby. Happy Veterans Day to all those who have served our country. Happy Veterans Day to all those who are serving our country today. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you....

Stella

2009-10-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

I SWORE I would never...............But the only thing that would heal my broken heart, was to fill that emptiness. I love animals too much, and wanted to give one a home that was in need of one. We adopted Stella (I named her). She is so cute. We are still trying to adjust. She is 6 months old, with a lot of energy. Her personality very different from Harley. She looks just like him, only not the same kind of breed. It is comforting to me because I look at her and I feel like a part of Harley is still here. We are still working on potty training. She is very playful and energetic. Very friendly and social. We are excited to have Stella in our home, and are happy that we can provide her a place where she will be loved.

We drove up to Jon's parents property up Ogden Canyon and took Stella with us. She loved it.

The new member of our family, Stella.

The only place I can get Stella to calm down from her hyperness, is when we are in the car. She is like a baby, once we start to drive around, she is out!! Sometimes she sleeps in the most odd positions!! Does not look comfortable to me!!

This is what happens when we are at home. She always wants attention and wants to play. She is a little stinker! She loves to rip things to shreds! Here we have, dog bones, toys, pieces of a cardboard box, a lufa (spelling?) she found somewhere, jon's cd's, and much more!!

I took Stella to my parent's house to play with their dog Daisy. She was a little too hyper for poor lil' Daisy.
Thanks to my mom who donated her new coat!! They bought it for Daisy and it was too big. She loves to wear it outside because it is freezing cold! When she is bored she will start to rip and bite it!

She is too funny. The other day we left her in the car (in the back seat) while we ran into our house to grab something/get a drink/go to the bathroom. We came back and she had shredded Jon's Jamba Juice cup and ate the rest (Lucky dog got a peanut butter smoothie!), and she finished off a brand new package I had opened and put in the passenger door, of Honey Roasted Peanuts!!

Thank You

2009-10-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say thank you for all of the thoughts and prayers regarding Harley. It helps to know that people are there to support us and care.
We are doing really well. I am especially surprised at how well I am doing. Knowing how emotional of a person I am, I had expected for my intense heart ache to have lasted a long time. I think normally it would have, but only because of the fasting, prayers, and blessing I received, have I been able to cope with our loss.
Thanks Everyone!!

Forever & Always My Companion

2009-10-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

My Harley Boy

Forever & Always My Companion

Adopted by Jon & Michelle: July 25, 2009

Passed Away: October 17,2009

I guess sometimes life really catches you off guard. Harley was fine wednesday, started acting different wed evening, went to the vet thurs, and passed away saturday. Wow. His illness came out of no where, and then he was gone. Needless to say, he has left me here, heartbroken, crushed, devastated, and not knowing how I will ever live without him.

I don't know how I will get through each day without Harley at my feet, by my side, on my bed, on my lap, or sitting in the passenger seat of the car. I only had Harley for 3 months, but we were inseperable, ALWAYS together, and now he is gone.

I'm happy to say, I have absolutely no regrets with the life I gave Harley. I treated him like gold, like a best friend, like the most loyal companion, and in return, he treated me the same. I am so glad that I was able to provide Harley with a wonderful life, the last 3 months he was alive. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. The only comforting things I am hanging on to right now, are....that he was in horrible pain, but he is no longer. And also that I KNOW I will see him again after this life.

Harley was a wonderful dog, but particularly, he and I had a special bond. He was the first dog of my own. He literally followed me from room to room, upstairs/downstairs, outside/inside, even if he was sleeping, he would get up and follow me if I left his side. It's hard for me to write and express the special bond we had together. Neither can I write the extent of heartache I feel right now. I am completely devastated. At one point, I felt like "Life can't go on anymore for me." I have a very deep love for animals, and I have learned, that it does not take long for me to become attached.

Saying goodbye to my dear Harley, was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I hope with all my heart he will be waiting to greet me in the next life.

Thank you to my parents for letting Jon and I burry Harley in their flower garden, next to our family dog growing up, Sassy. Thank you to Jon for being so supportive and being there for me and Harley through all of this.

I kept Harley's collar, and his name tag. It is excruciating to be at my house and see all of the reminders: leashes laying around, dog shampoo under the bathroom sink, dog bowls with food still in them, his favorite treats "Pup-er-oni" sitting on the counter, and his hair on my clothes, and on my bed. It KILLS me.

Thank goodness we are able to have hope that we will see our beloved pets again. To me, Harley was not just a pet. He was my lil' companion and the first memeber we brought into our family.

Harley, you are deeply loved, and will be missed terribly. We love you and can't wait to see you again. Until then, please don't forget us because no one on earth loves you more than I do....

To read about Harley's disease, here are a few links.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/5133/ivd.html

http://www.gopetsamerica.com/dog-health/intervertebral-disk-disease.aspx

What I learned today...

2009-10-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

I learned a lot about myself this morning. Well, I guess I already knew, but it was re-confirmed today.
First thing I learned: You all know that I love my dog, but, apparently I love him a whole heck of a lot more than I thought (only having had him for 3 months..)
Second thing: I have no idea how I will ever be able to have children. Scary, I know.
Third thing: I have an amazingly supportive husband.
And fourth...
The need to pray and fast.
Harley is currently in the hospital and will be there for about 3 days. After reading some articles, I found that breeds with his type of body (long with stumpy legs) tend to have back problems. I knew something was wrong when Harley lost the use of his back legs starting yesterday. We took him to the vet and found out that his condition is serious. It is called Intervertebral Disc Disease. He was in excruciating pain. It broke my heart. I lost all my composure in the room. Jon had to calm me down. And After I left I asked myself "How will I ever be able to have children??" They needed to give Harley a shot with pain medication and I wanted to leave the room. I ended up staying, but what will I do when my brand new baby is having to get poked all over with needles???
Needless to say, today has been an awful day. I am so heart broken. He may be able to come home Saturday. I hated leaving him there, but knew it was best for his health.
Apparently we are going to have to change his lifestyle, which will be tough. For the next month: no jumping on bed, couches etc, has to be carried up and down stairs, no jumping in/out of car, no jumping on laps, has to spend most of his time is his kennel resting.
Everyone thought I babied him before?? Just wait!!! It will be hard to watch his every move constantly, and I am hoping that he will be able to recover fully. Until then...I am just sick about it. The silence in the house, and not having a constant companion at my feet, is very depressing. I will update when I find out how he is doing. Keep fingers crossed (and prayers).

We're back!!

2009-10-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

We made it back to Utah last Friday evening! We are currently trying to unpack and get settled into our house in Clinton where we will be living! (Yes, Jon has an awful commute!!) We have gotten to see our families and cant wait to see all of our wonderful friends!!
Poor Harley is having a hard time adjusting to all of the changes from moving. :(
My skin can tell I'm back in Utah!! Already starting to itch, crack, get dried out, and drive me nuts!! Oh the joys of having 4 seasons, that we DIDN'T have in Monterey!!

Packing

2009-09-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

Packing...Yuck!!!!
Packing Today
Packing Tomorrow
Finish Wednesday
Stay in Hotel Wed night
Thurs is Jon's graduation
And then.....hit the road!!
I have been sneezing non-stop today from all the dust from cleaning!!
P.S. At least I will get a break from packing and get to take Cooper and Zack VanKomen to the aquarium!! I am SO excited to take them!! (Jon's wonderful friend Matt is coming from Utah to move us! And he is bringing 2 of his boys!!)

Bye Bye California....

2009-09-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Well, Jon is finally finished with class! I am so proud of him for sticking it out for the past year being in class everyday! He is a trooper, and was a great leader to the class. I am so grateful to him for bringing me to Cali so that we could spend our first year of marriage in such a beautiful place! It has been ever SO nice, that I was able to have my husband every day and every night for one whole year straight....I feel spoiled!!
But, now it's back to real life....Utah! I have mixed feelings about this. I wish we could stay, but am also excited to be with family and friends again. Jon graduates Oct 1st, and then we are headed back to Utah (yep, thats NEXT weekend! Crazy!)
I love my hub so much and have enjoyed our first year together!!
Next is Germany!!! (he he he, hopefully!)

We love the Ocean! (well, some of us...)

2009-08-30T23:07:00.001-07:00

What a WARM and beautiful day!! The ocean felt so refreshing!!

Harley, on the other hand, HATES the water! This is what he was doing the whole time....Tugging!! He does enjoy the sand though!

We had two hot days over the weekend here in Monterey! It was great beach weather. We went to lunch and then headed to the beach with Harley! It was so fun! Oh My little dog and his silly personality! lol

I've hit a brick wall

2009-08-28T17:57:00.000-07:00

I think it's obvious, my previous two posts (three if you include the white chocolate dog bones) having been about food....I have hit a brick wall. I have nothing to blog about.
The End.

Perfect Combination

2009-08-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner I made Cream of Broccoli soup with corn bread and honeybutter on the side. Now that's what I call a "Perfect Combination"

Thank you...

2009-08-24T18:39:00.001-07:00

.....for constantly saving my life.

Mouth Watering....

2009-08-19T22:39:00.000-07:00

White chocolate dipped dog bones, from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Oh yes I did!!!

You know you are best friends when....

2009-08-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

.....the two of you sit in the car and share an entire bag of teriyaki flavored beef jerkey together.... (no....it was not Jon and I, take another guess! cough cough dog..cough cough....)

Sleepless Nights

2009-08-13T00:58:00.000-07:00

Here i am laying in bed with my laptop on my lap. It is one in the morning. I have been in bed since 11:30. Laying next to me, is my dog....who happens to be snoring. Laying next to my dog, is my husband...who happens to also be snoring. This is going to be one......long.......night.........

Love my Dog

2009-08-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

Oh don't worry....there are plenty more pictures to come! Since I don't have kids and everyone else does, it's only fair that I get to brag about my dog!!

How can you resist.....

2009-08-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

.......This face and those ears!! I sure can't!!

A few of my latest obsessions..

2009-08-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

Chunky Strawberry from Jamba Juice (those are bananas on top in case you wondered)

Orbit PEPPERMINT (ONLY!) gum

Oh how I LOVE flats

You won't see my toenails painted anything BUT BLACK

Jon and I love sharing these everyday! (We do DDP Costco style!!!)

Downy Wrinkle Releaser....Next best thing to an iron! (or dryer)

Between Jon and I, the Kit Kat minis work out perfectly. I eat the white choc and milk choc ones, and he eats the dark chocolate!!

No Gatorade!! Yuck! Powerade ONLY!! (Blue is my faaaaavorite)

I tell myself that the "crisp" butterfingers are less fattening than regular, because they are light and airy!! ha ha!! (once again, I prefer the mini's!)

Looooove long shirts with jeans or leggings! So relaxed and comfortable!

I'm HOOKED! Will never switch my lip gloss again!! Mango Madness by Victoria's Secret.

And last but not least.....THE ONE item that I could NOT live WITHOUT........MY collection of HATS!! I wear my precious hats 6 days a week (the 7th being sundays). What would I do if I could not roll out of bed, pull up a side pony tail, no make up, and throw on a hat??!! (Don't get the wrong idea I AM NOT lazy....;)

New (Not so new) Hair!

2009-08-02T20:21:00.001-07:00

Then.........

Now....

I have not posted any picures of my latest "do". It has actually been about a month and a half since I changed my hair. I did not like it at first. I went and got my bangs cut and the lady chopped them way shorter than this! I have been wearing hats everyday since then because my bangs were a mess! They are finally at a descent length now. I died my hair myself :) I used to freak out about my hair, but now a days, I really just dont care. Jon said I could go get it fixed and I thought "What a waste! I wear a hat everyday anyways!"

Today was my lucky day

2009-08-01T18:51:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling pretty lucky lately, between passing my math test and getting my new dog! Well, today just adds to my streak of good luck! Just this morning I was asking Jon if we could look for a treadmill on craigslist. He said that was ok. Less than an hour later, I got an email from a lady in our neighborhood giving away a treadmill for free that had been just sitting in her garage! I was the first to reply to her email! So guess what.....I got it! :) I hope my good luck continues! (knock on wood)

Feeding Ducks with Harley

2009-07-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

Aww.....Harley by some pretty flowers! (Jon's idea of a good photo op!)

Yummy bread!!!

I love the white ones!!

Jon walking Harley, while wearing his Harley Davidson sweater!

We love the little park by our house that is filled with ducks (and seagulls lol)! We took our dog on Sunday for an outing. It was very fun and relaxing. Harley loves the car and loves going on walks. We are glad he is a part of our family now. :)

March 2010

2009-07-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

We are 90% sure that we will be here in Cali until March of next year. We love California, and enjoy everything around us. We are excited!

Meet...Harley Boy!

2009-07-25T21:11:00.001-07:00

Relaxing after a long day....

Harley sleeping with us on the love sack

Jon and Harley taking a nap

Exploring the back deck

Awesome Harley Davidson apparel, studded black collar!

Harley does not like getting his picture taken. He is definately camera shy at this point!

Orange Harley Davidson leash!

Jon and I have been going to the animal shelter for the past several weeks, walking the dogs. We just love going, but always come home drepressed. A few days ago I was looking on craigslist and found Harley. He needed a home, and was being given away to a good home for no charge! We have new owners for our apartment, so we thought we would get a dog! We went to see him today, and loved him! His previous owners were SO nice! His owner is expecting a new baby, so they thought it would be best to find him a new home. He is two years old and is a mix. He has some corgi in him. I think he looks just like a mini german shepherd, and I have been longing for a german shepherd! (Don't worry Mike and Ash, we still want a puppy when you have them, we know we want a girl pup!) He is such a good dog, I think he is a little homesick because he looks so sad, and just lays on the love sack. I know he will adjust to us! And we will love him so much! Conveniently for Jon, the previous owners had named him Harley! We are definately going to keep his name the same, we love it because we are big motorcycle fans as you know. We went to Petsmart and got all the necessities, including some stylin Harley Davidson apparel! I didnt even know they made Harley D. dog accessories! I am going to take Harley to dog training classes in a few weeks at Petsmart. We are excited!

On another note, I found out today I passed my math class! I couldn't be happier! We are stoked!

Friday

2009-07-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

Friday(tomorrow) is my last day of Statistics math class. I have to take my final. If I don't pass this class, I'll scream (that is actually an understatement of what will REALLY happen if I dont pass).......!

Attention Friends.....

2009-07-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

Some of you have private blogs that I can't access!! Can you re- send me an invite to view your blogs?? (The ones I am having problems accessing are Mark and Amber Orton and Jared and Brooke Flint!!) It says my invite has expired when I try to log in! I would really appreciate it! Thanks!!

My new best friend.....

2009-07-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

Wow....my life has changed. And even more so than mine, my husbands life has changed. Number one, he is getting home cooked meals. And number two, I AM the one cooking them!!! Why didn't I take all of my friends advice and get this amazing machine SOONER??? Love love love it!!

Craigslist Ad (by my hubby..)

2009-07-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

In effort to sell our cat, my husband put an ad on craigslist. I dont know if we ended up selling our cat because the people WANTED her, or out of sympathy towards my husband. ha ha. He is quite the creative one, and I thought his ad was cute!! (Don't pass out when you see how much my husband PAID for this cat, because I think my heart skipped a few beats when I found out!!!)

http://monterey.craigslist.org/pet/1251214753.html

Our Fourth of July Weekend!!

2009-07-10T18:57:00.001-07:00

Ok so my computer is retarded! If you would like to see what we did on our fun weekend, you will have to scroll down to find it! I started working on it the other day and saved it as a draft, and in the meantime did a few other posts. I thought it would move to the top of the posts but no! So scroll down to find it! (It's like 2 posts down)

Tribute to our Kitty.....

2009-07-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

This kitty LOVED Jon. She was always with him and was his companion while he did his math homework.

Sleeping on Jon's homework......

Jon even developed some allergies, nothing compared to mine however........

Jon and Kitty at the computer

She has the most beautiful blue eyes and little face

Jon's lap is her bed lol

Sleeping behind the computer

And THIS, THIS is the reason we had to sell my kitty. Here is my nightstand. This is no joke. I would clean it up every morning, and by the next morning it would look like this again covered in tissues. I had to buy athsma medication, 24 hour allergy medication, and sinus congestion reliever!!! And this is just living in the same house as the cat, I could not even interact with her! It's been only 2 weeks and I have been so miserable with allergies. We tried a few different things to help, we even bought an air filter for the house. We kept the litter box outside, and tried not to let her in our bedroom. However, just being in the same house made my allergies explode.

We are both so sad. Jon loved this cat, and the cat loved Jon. Since I could not be around her, Jon was her companion. We found a local family that wanted her really badly, so we sold her to them. I hope she loves her new family. She was the sweetest thing I have ever met.

Creative Anniversary Cake!!

2009-07-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

Ok so balloons are WAY more expensive here in Calif. I found out after it was too late and I had already had them all blown up! 50 bucks on BALLOONS! Gah!!

You can't tell in this picture, but I tied the balloons onto the chairs. I bought conffetti and sprinkeled it all over the awesome orange tablecloth! The centerpiece of the table was a cake that my great friend Angela made! She makes cakes and so she made this for Jon!!

I picked a shirt that Jon loves and had her replicate it CAKE style! ha ha! It was a GREAT match actually. She did so good!!

I told Jon to put on his Harley shirt before he got to see the cake! I also bought his 2 favorite ice cream flavors from Baskin Robins, Rocky Road and Peanut butter chocolate!

We thought the cake was awesome! I didn't want to even cut it :(

If anyone is in Cali, and wants an awesome cake for whatever reason, my friend is so great! Thanks so much Angela! We can't wait for more cakes!! :)

SUCH a fun 4th of July weekend!!

2009-07-05T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here we are gearing up for our kayaking adventure!

Jon made our kayak go RIGHT next to this big creature! It started making loud noises and I thought it was going to jump into our kayak! I started to yell at Jon to get us out of there!

Cute lil' sailboat

I love this picture! It was such a warm day, all of the sea lions and seals were sun bathing. This one was hanging out on a buoy! It was adorable!

Here are all of them sun bathing on the rocks not too far from the shore. These animals are SO loud, and they stink! But they are still cute!

Awwwwwww cute!!!

Pete and Angela pulling their boat to shore

Pete and Angela were such a good team kayaking!! Jon and I on the other hand, sucked! Mostly because I laid back and relaxed and let Jon do the rowing himself! ha ha ha!!

Me and my hubby having a blast! This was one of the only times I actually had the paddle in my hands! Jon rowed me around everywhere. lol. He is so good to me.

Saturday July 4th, the Moto GP was here in Monterey at Laguna Seca!! Jon has been waiting for this for so long! We had so much fun up there!

We took the Ducati up and parked it right here.....front row!! It was a fun ride up!

Here is "Ducati Island". There were so many different kinds of bikes up there, but we are bias towards Ducati since that is what Jon rides most of the time! (Harley is at home in Utah)

Jon would LOVE it if I were to get a motorcycle. He really wants me to ride! I told him I will as long as I can have this PURPLE color Ducati!! 99.9% of the time, I base what car or motorcycle I like (want) completely on color alone! lol. I thought this purple Ducati was adorable!

Here I am standing in front of Ducati Island in my "Megan Fox Wannabe outfit" Although, I would say I have a bit more modest version (If you have seen Transformers 2, you would know). Of course Megan looks ten times better in the outfit, but I thought the shorts with the motorcycle boots looked cute!!

Watching the Racers! This was Jon's view for the actual race. He went on Sunday as well to watch the race!!

Us in our matching Ducati T-shirts!! Jon's friend Oz did this custom paint job for Jon's bike. It's the Italian flag, since Ducati is Italian. Pretty cool!

We had such a fun 4th of July weekend!!! Jon had Friday thru Monday off, and so it was great to spend a long weekend together! Thursday night we went and saw Ice Age 3! SO good! Ice Age is Jon's all time favorite cartoon (pixar, or whatever they call it). Friday we spent the day Kayaking with our good friends Pete and his wife Angela. It was so fun! That evening we met up for dinner at a Mexican restaurant! Saturday Jon and I spent the day up at the motorcycle races at Laguna Seca. It was awesome! They had tons of cool stuff there! I think it's really fun when you enjoy the same hobbies as your spouse. Going to the races really peaked my interest in these riders and their mad skills! It was so cool! Jon went to the races Sunday as well. We had such a fun weekend! Very eventful!!

Talking in his sleep...

2009-06-30T21:48:00.001-07:00

This has been going on lately with my husband. I would say he is HALF asleep when this happens. The other day he was the making the weirdest noise, I thought he could not breathe! Apparently, he was Lord Voldemort killing Harrpy Potter in that dream. Weird, I KNOW! Well last night he rolled over and said to me "I'm sorry that I roasted your kitty." I said "What??" And he said "Im sorry that I roasted your kitty!"
I told him later this afternoon what he said, and he had no recollection at all of such thing! ha!
What kind of sick mind does my husband have???? lol.

Happy First Anniversary to us!!

2009-06-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

The most thoughtful gift....

2009-06-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

Don't mind me looking so ugly! I had just gotten home from my night class and had no idea that this surprise was waiting for me!!

I received the most thoughtful gift that I have ever received. My anniversary present from my husband, was this darling Siberian cat (a Russian breed). It is the most precious kitty I have ever seen. I LOVE animals more than anything, but even more than the kitty, was the thought and effort that my husband made. I have been begging for a dog for the longest time. Our landlord wont allow dogs, so that was out of the question until we move. I am allergic to cats, so Jon researched to find a breed that was "non allergenic" which there is no such thing, but he did find that this particular breed supposedly has less of the hormone that produces the allergies. He had it shipped from Las Vegas (the poor cat has been hiding ever since the plane ride...it was so traumatized). I about had a heart attack when Jon told me how much money he spent on the cat, not including the shipping costs, food, etc. It is a very desirable breed.
I feel so incredibly loved. I feel like my husband wants to make me happy more than anything. I was completely shocked at this surprsie. It just made my heart melt....
I have not chosen a name yet. We want to give her a Russian name! :) Thank you so much Jon, it was the nicest thing EVER. We will be celebrating our year anniversary on Sunday. :)

If I were in Utah today.....

2009-06-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

I would go to.......

I would order a sticky finger quesadilla.....

And a strawberry lemonade!

Mmmmm! If only.....

Army Ball June 13, 2009

2009-06-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

This dressed was DRAMA and Jon and I almost did not make it to the ball! The zipper broke! It was almost impossible to fix, and it is still not fixed. The zipper kept splitting, and the whole time at the ball I had to sit still, because if I moved the zipper would start to split! The zipper was on the side, went from my under arm to my thigh. So...I REALLY did not want it to split! I brag that I get such good deals on things, well I guess there was a reason my dress was so cheap!

The ball was held at the Embassy Suits Hotel in Monterey. It was sooo nice. There were beautiful waterfalls inside the hotel.

Look at all those medals! :) Good job Jon! They look so shiny!

There were a ton of people there. It was very exquisite, between the food, dress uniforms, and the ceremony. (The Army's birthday is what was being celebrated, 234 years!!!)

The table settings were assigned. I was surprised to see that we had our own tags on our glasses that said our names. "Sergeant Love" and "Mrs. Love" ha ha! So formal!!

I was sooooo exited because I ran into one my spanish teachers! You probably recognize her, I have posted pictures with her before! We got to talk and dance! It was good to see her! I may try to get back into a spanish class when I finish my math and technology class! I hope I can! I loved that class!

My new favorite cereal...

2009-06-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

I LOVE carbs. I LOVE cereal and bread. I have been known to eat a whole box of cereal within just 2 days, or a whole loaf of bread at a restaurant while waiting for our food to come out. I know, its bad. As we speak, I am eating cereal for dinner. I am quite particular when it comes to cereal. No sugary cereal (like fruit loops), I NEVER eat my cereal with milk. I just dig straight out of the box with my hand. And it has to be, what I call "the popable kind" of cereal. Meaning, the pieces are big enough to just throw in your mouth one at a time. NOT rice krispies, or even raisin bran. Those are the kinds where you have to eat them by the handful because they are so small. Ugh. Crispix is one of my favorites! But... my new favorite kind is HONEY KIX!!!

The party is officially over.....

2009-06-12T22:04:00.001-07:00

Well folks, I have been soooo lucky to have had 2 months FREE for sleeping in, vacations, cleaning house, more sleeping in, shopping, and more! But....my break is over. I start school on Monday!! Im actually not complaining, because I need something to do!! And I need these 2 classes, so I know it is going towards something!! I don't mind going to a math class every morning for 2 hours, but I have no idea how I will sit through a technology class (of which I have absolutely NO interest in!) for 4 HOURS! At least it is only twice a week! I find that when I am out of school, I actually start to miss it.....

I splurged on.......

2009-06-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

Boots.........

.....And a purse from Ireland!!

The inside is sooo cute! Green!

Of course I got the "usual" kind of souvenirs as well (jewelry, scarf, key chains, etc....) But when I was in Ireland I bought new boots and a new purse!! Since the Euro is worth more than the dollar, I didnt really do the math on everything when I bought it. I did after though, and about died when I realized how much I paid in DOLLARS for them!!!

Oakland A's Baseball Game

2009-06-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

A's stadium in Oakland, Ca

Play Ball!!!! Oakland A's vs. Baltimore Orioles. A's won!!! :)

Jon's parents! Bill never fails in making me laugh!!

Jon watching the game very intensely...

Michelle "watching the game" very intensely......

Jon's sister Katie and the boys watching the game...

We went with our friend's the Conto's also!! We had fun!!

Afterwards there was a Jordin Sparks concert!! It was good! It was hard to see her, but she sounded amazing!!

It was funny how Jon approached me about going to the baseball game. He always assumes I want nothing to do with sports or motorcycle events. Okay, half the time that may be true. So he said "Hey do you want to go to a free Jordin Sparks concert?" And I of course said "Yeah!" He responded with "Okay, then you will have to sit through a baseball game first..."

LOL!! It was fun because his family and our friends came! It really was a good time!!

Medieval Dinner at Bunratty Castle

2009-06-07T00:44:00.001-07:00

Me in front of Bunratty Castle, Ireland

Now at the TOP of the castle!

All of us at the top

My mom booked this AWESOME dinner for us in Ireland. We were able to attend a Medieval dinner at this castle. It was so amazing!

Just arriving for the dinner, drinking my juice. (They serve Mead, which is a type of beer, to most people as the tradition, however you can request juice.)

It was so cool to see all the Medieval outfits that the people who put on the show wore!

Mmmmmmm bread! Anyone who knows me well, knows I would live a FINE life on bread alone!

All of us at the dinner table! (A few family members hiding....)

While we ate our dinner, we were able to listen to beautiful music including the harp, the violin, and some singing! It was awesome!

Me drinking my yummy soup!! The dinner was served in courses. And the catch was, you were only given a knife to eat with. That is how they used to do it, so we had a knife and our fingers!!

Before you get scared off, let me explain!! ha ha! One of the courses we had was pork ribs. I DO NOT eat pork!! Ewwww!! But, I thought I would make the best of it, and instead of eating it, I decided to smear the sauce on my face and fingers and pretend I ate it! Hey, it turned out to be a good photo op!!!!! (I thought it was funny...but I am probably just embarrassing myself!)

Mmmmmmm Pork ribs!!! (um....not really "Mmmmm")

And what do you do with the ribs when you are done?? Why throw them in the wooden bowl of course!!!

This was a cute little funny man!! He was very entertaining I must say!!!

Eating potatoes, chicken, and vegetables with my knife :)

And finally for dessert.......Some berry mousse with fruit and whipped cream on top!!! (They gave in and allowed us to use spoons for this one!!)

This was such a fun experience! I think most of my family would say this was one of our favorite things that we did!! Thanks so much mom for planning this out ahead of time!! I am so glad that we had the opportunity to do this!!!

Cute little city in Ireland

2009-06-05T22:29:00.000-07:00

We went to the grocery store a few times and I thought this was sooo funny! Some random loaves of bread?? No packaging?? ha ha ha!! (top shelf if you missed it...)

Cute little shops...I sure love shopping!

I went to this store like 4 times..no joke! I could not make up my mind! I ended up getting a really cute purse there!

Adorable Restaurant!!!

You would NEVER believe that is was almost 10:00 at night in this picture!! Crazy!!

We ate at this Pub like 3 times!! It was yummy!!

Good ol' Irish Pubs!!

Pulling our cart at the grocery store!! Cart? Basket? Whatever you want to call it!!

Just some random pics of the cute little city we stayed in! We went shopping there just about everyday! We did so many other activities in different areas also....of which I will be posting!!

Dinner with the Love's

2009-06-04T23:37:00.000-07:00

Jon's sister Katie and her CUTE son Cody being silly!!

Eating my bread pudding dessert and......I think Jon wants me to share it!!!!

Jon's mom and Cody's little friend Brayden

Jon's dad, and my friend Cris, who leaves California on Saturday for good. And I am SOOOO sad!

Jon is wearing the cool green Harley Davidson shirt I brought him back from Ireland! Green is my fav color, so I love it!!

The two bestest buds!!!

Jon's family is in town staying with us for a few days. We all went out to dinner on the warf! We got some yummy seafood and clam chowder!! Mmm Mmm!! My friend Cris came also. She is leaving to Virginia saturday, moving on with her career. Im so sad. :( We all had a blast! Thanks Katie for treating all of us to dinner!!

The Adare Manor, Ireland

2009-06-03T23:05:00.000-07:00

Our cool green airplane!!

I am publicly giving a shout-out to the driver of our "mini bus" which happened to be our rental car....LOL. We had NO idea! It was hilarious. There were 6 of us that went, and we got a 9 seater!! ha ha! Anyway, my mother is THE MOST courageous women. Driving a bus practically, with a diesel engine, left handed stick shift, on the opposite side of the road, in a foreign country with nothing other than a road map, in the rain, with all of us in the car! She is my HERO!!

The Villa that we stayed in. It was sooooo nice! It was like a house! Upstairs, downstairs, living room, dining room, study, huge kitchen, washer, dryer, 3 bedrooms, and 4 full bathrooms! It was amazing!!

Nice green view out the back window.....So pretty!

Awesome landscaping out by the manor house. Where we stayed was on about 80 acres, beautiful landscaping and golf course!

This is THE beautiful Manor House. The city we stayed in was called Adare, and the resort was called The Adare Manor. Stunning isn't it??! We were able to go in several times because this is where the reception area was where you check in and out. It was just as amazing inside!!

Here are 4 of us, my older brother was ill this day and my mom was taking the photo!

Just a good photo op!!!

In front of the hotel resort sign!

Ohhh, I am so proud of myself for doing my first Ireland post! I have been putting this off because I didnt know where to start!! Well here is my first of many posts from my trip!!

My dress for the Army Ball...

2009-05-31T21:14:00.001-07:00

Okay so I know that I am going to get in such big trouble because I am supposed to be posting pictures of my Ireland trip! To be honest, I am so overwhelmed because I have so many pictures that I dont even know where to start...so I guess I am putting it off!!

Anyways, this is a picture of my dress that I am going to be wearing to the army ball in two weeks!! I LOVE it! And it was soooo cheap! Like $23 bucks cheap! I got these shoes for $6.99 too! Stealer deal, I know!! Notice how my shoes match my suitcase....he he he! I love that zebra print ;)

Back in Cali!!

2009-05-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

I am finally back home in California! I was gone almost 3 weeks!! My husband was so glad to have me back! I have so many pictures I dont even know where to start with the posting.......I will do my best! It may take a few days!!!

Enjoying my vacation...

2009-05-17T03:18:00.000-07:00

My vacation has been wonderful so far.....It rains daily, but it's beautiful! We have done so much, I have over 600 pictures so far, so when I get back home I'll be posting some!

Packing...

2009-05-08T15:43:00.001-07:00

I'm starting to pack for my trip! I'm so excited! And yes, I DO have a zebra suitcase :) It's not only cute, but it is very easy to spot at the baggage claim!

Our Fun week!!

2009-05-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

My FAVORITE thing to do.......SHOPPING!!!

Jon has had the whole week off and it has been soooo nice to be able to do fun things this week! We have gone to some movies, Jon's sister came to visit for a few days, we have enjoyed sleeping in and staying up late also!! Yesterday Jon and I spent the entire day at the outlet malls shopping! We splurged a little..!! We also ate lunch at In-N-Out burger Mmmm! On friday we are going to Six Flags!! I have never been and I am SO excited!! I LOVE roller coasters! I can't wait! I'm glad we have been able to spend this time together before I leave for 2 weeks!!

One week from today...(Sunday)

2009-05-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Next Sunday Im headed to New York, then off to Ireland for a week! I will be going back to Utah after to spend some time with family and friends!! Thanks Jon, for letting me go!! (Actually Im sure you will enjoy the break :)

Enchiladas anyone???

2009-04-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

Mmm, Mmm! These are some YUMMY enchiladas I must say! Jon absolutely LOVES them also! BUT.....Are they worth this mess.......this trauma........this disaster........ ??????

Can you see it CLEAR at the TOP of the stove????

Now do you know why I hate cooking??? A while back I decided to make these again (not the first time I had ever attempted to make them) because they taste so great! Well, I didnt not realize that the recipe calls for 2 very dangerous ingredients.....

First one....A jar of chile verde salsa

Second one...A jar of Queso cheese

This mess happened with BOTH of these ingredients, within about 10 minutes of each other. These jars are sooo hard to open (ok, maybe its just me, but both times I have made this, I struggled) I stick them under water, that never works. I end up having to bang the jar lids on the counter to loosen them. Which works, but now the jar is wet from me first sticking it under hot water, so when I go to twist the lid, it twists off so fast that the jar goes spinning out from under it and flies!!! The chile verde jar flew all over the counter, everywhere. It looked like someone had thrown up. That was nothing compared to what happened with the Queso......as you can see......Jon has banned me from cooking!!! Just kidding, how can he ban me from doing something I NEVER do! HA HA! Thank goodness for eating out!! (And wasting money I guess.....)

P.S. Jon was so nice and went to the store to replace the Queso so I could finish making our dinner...I however, stayed home scrubbing walls, cupboard doors, in every nook and cranny! Oh and yea, I had to throw the rug away. Oh well!

2 classes to go...for 2 degrees!

2009-04-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

I will be taking these 2 classes this summer here in California...I start in June and end in August(of this year). When I am done, I will have 2 associates degrees! An Associates of Arts degree in general education from UVU, and An Associates of Arts degree in Spanish from DLI. So excited!

I would do ANYTHING for one of these......

2009-04-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

I want a German Shepherd more than ANYTHING right now. Now that I am done with class, I have....well....not much to do(notice how now all of a sudden my blog is updated on a daily basis?? lol). Jon is still in class. I mean hey, there is only so much sleeping in I can do! I have upcoming vacations, so I cant really start anything right now, I have to wait till mid May to start something. Anyhow, I want one of these SO BAD. But, our landlord will only allow cats...I need a good companion, and I made up my mind that THIS is what I wanted, immediately after seeing the movie "I am Legend". My excuse is ALWAYS..."Well I would if I had a dog..." Jon tells me...Hey how bout you go walking outside, or to the beach.....And I guess I need (or I think I need) a German Shepherd for all of my motivation!! Ha Ha Ha!

Camo Kisses!!!

2009-04-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

Look how adorable!! My sister brought these for me when they came out to visit me!! I thought they were the CUTEST thing ever!! :) Camoflauge foil Hershey Kisses!!! I almost dont want to eat them because they are so dang cute!! But they taste soooo good! (they are just the normal milk chocolate kind..lol)

The Wharf and the boardwalk..

2009-04-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

Jon and I walking on the wharf by our house...

Mmmmm! Giant ice cream!! Yummy!

I know, you don't need to tell me, I look like a retard because my eyes are closed! Must be some dang good ice cream! Ha Ha!!

Funny story, I thought my outfit looked so cute this day! I asked Jon if he liked it, he said (not even looking at me..) "Yea, I like all your outfits." So...as the day goes on, hours later, Im getting out of the car and Jon looks at me and says "Michelle, what are you wearing????" Oh goodness, what a great example of my husband not listening, or pretending to listen, not paying attention, or WHATEVER!!!

All of us (minus Jon who is taking the photo) in front of our favorite sandwhich shop just up the street from my house!

We went and spent the rest of the day in Santa Cruz at the boardwalk. It was fun! Here is my 13 year old sister who is taller than just about everyone in our family!! I tell her she should be a model one day!!

It's like a Lagoon with rides, right on the beach!!

Standing in the Ocean!! :)

Me in my CUTE outfit!!! ( I dont care what you say Jon...!!!)

Beautiful Sis!!

Jon and I rode the "Cliffhanger" ride together.

Half way through the ride, Jon tried to scare me by yelling that his seat was coming apart and breaking! Typical typical!!

Mint chocolate Dip 'N' Dots!! Yum! It was very refreshing in between rides! :)

Here is another fun activity that my family did while they were here! We had a great time! Jon was a wonderful tour guide for them. I will get to see my family soon (3 weeks), but this time we are headed to Ireland! Oh Yeaaaaaaaah!

A day in Carmel with the Family....

2009-04-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

A cute little door we happened to walk by! Great photo op!

Of course we had to stop by the Candy Shop! Mmmmmm!!

We went to eat lunch at Doris Day's restaurant (one of my parents favorite actresses)

And she is such an animal lover that they allow you to bring your dog with you to eat! Ha Ha!!

Awww.....what a cute lil guy!!

This sign was posted at the restaurant, I thought it was funny!!

Sippin on my fav!!! Diet coke!!

All the food was so delicate, I ordered a little biscuit with some jam and butter. Yum!!!

Im not the only animal lover in my family, my mom is just like me! We were feeding the birds from our car, and she kept putting food in the side of the door by our feet and we asked what she was doing?? And she said "I want them to come in!" ha ha ha!!!

My adventurous husband-always doing what I tell him NOT to!!!

Of course, me again taking pictures of animals!!!! :)

The Lone Cyprus Tree-along the coast...

Bixby bridge.....Along the coast as well. Pretty cool!

All of us at dinner that evening!! We sure had fun!!

My family came out last tues night and stayed through saturday morning. They came for my graduation and while they were here we were able to do so many fun things! These pictures are from wednesday, we went to Carmel and walked around, had lunch, visited the beach- it was FREEZING this day!! Windy and cold! So we didnt stay anywhere too long...After Jon was done with school, he took us in the car and drove us all around the coast to look at the beatiful scenery. Later that night, we ate dinner at a Lebanese restaurant (My mom lived 2 years in Lebanon) so it was very interesting!! What a great day!

Grad Video...Short 'n' Sweet....

2009-04-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Graduation 4-16-2009

2009-04-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

Me, My 2 wonderful sisters, and my mom!

Me and my Marine friend! (Cris)

Major Humphreus and I (He was the class leader, highest ranking of everyone in the class)

And of course! My wonderful husband!!

SFC Olson and I (He was a wonderful friend to both my husband and I. He took the initiative to help me with reading comprehension in my spanish class, which was the area I struggled in most. My scores went up drastically-and I owe it all to him.)

Ms. Love graduating!!! Walking to recieve my diploma...

Shaking hands and being congratulated...

Talking with classmates and teachers!

Once again, the three chickas! Me, Senora Layne, and Cris

Airman Boyce and I. (Great classmate of mine)

Last but not least, my cute graduation outfit! I tried to look as spanish as I could! Ha Ha!

Wow, it's over! Last September I started my course, and 6 months later I came out with a diploma and more importantly, lifelong friends. Jon and I will be here until October, so I am going to return to school and talk with my teachers so I dont lose my spanish. But, I am devastated about my friends that are leaving and moving onto the next step in their careers. I have asked Jon before "What do you do when you make such good friends in the army, and then you have to leave them?" His reply was "It's part of life." It is very hard for me to accept. I hate it, and its hard for me. Although I will keep in touch with my wonderful friends, and I am proud to say....I GRADUATED!!! I completed my 6 month Spanish course! And I am SO proud of myself!! Thank you to my wonderful family who drove 13 hours to come and see me on this important day! I really appreciate it!

Taking this spanish course, is one of the best things I have ever done so far in my life.

Happy Brithday my Love!!

2009-04-14T22:54:00.000-07:00

Jon sporting his new Ducati (motorcycle brand) Oakley sunglasses!

They match his jacket! These sunglasses are a replacement of the exact same ones he lost at Thanksgiving...He loved them sooo much so I got him another pair.

Jon won't take his sunglasses off......Ha Ha Ha!!

Awwww...Happy 31st Jon!!! Love you!!

End of Spanish course-Picnic

2009-04-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

Cristina playin her fav sport ever....Soccer! Or in Spanish "futbol"

Me, Senora Franconetti (instructor), Cris

Bestest Friends!!!

Me, Dr. Moreno (instructor), Cris

SFC Olson, Ms Love, Major Humphreus (classmates and class leaders)

The three chickas!!!

We are dooooone!! And I am heartbroken...:( I have always been one to hate change. I am so extremely sad that my class is over. I think everyone else is excited to move on from here! But, I am so depressed!!!! I have made wonderful lifetime friends, that I will never forget. My teachers were great, and I will always be able to use my spanish. Im so thankful I had this opportunity. We graduate this coming thursday.....I am dreading it. (Which sounds funny...most people are thrilled to graduate....)

Change of Plans......IRELAND!!!!!

2009-04-05T00:39:00.000-07:00

Well, my family was planning on going to London for a vacation.....BUT there has been a change in plans. We are going to IRELAND now! And I am SOOOOOOO excited!!!!! And THIS.......is where we will be staying!!!!! I cant wait!!! And my husband is such a good sport to let me go, and he said I can do all the shopping I want!!! (Poor guy, will be in school and cant go .....:( We will be staying this MANOR! WaHOOOO! I could not be more excited!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to Michelle!

2009-04-02T15:17:00.001-07:00

Thanks so much Mike and Ashley for taking us out to dinner for my birthday! We enjoyed your company this past week! Thanks to everyone for the cards, texts, emails, and packages for my birthday! Mwah!!!

Upcoming Plans for us!!

2009-03-14T19:01:00.000-07:00

March 27th......Our Friends come to visit!!!

Our wonderful friends, Mike and Ashley, are coming out to visit us for one week!! We are sooo excited for them to come! We had so much fun with them over Christmas vacation! And they will be here for my birthday too!! They are going to stay with Jon and I, in the spare bedroom. Jon and I bought aquarium passes to the Monterey Aquarium, which is known as the best in the United States! And because we bought a year pass, we can get our friends in for free! Mike is going to bring his motorcycle out and we are all going to go for rides out here by the coast! It is the best view for a bike ride!!

April 1st......Michelle's Birthday!

I will be turning 24 !!!

April 2nd.....Michelle's Spanish Speaking Exam (Which is the final for the course)

I am sooooo incredibly nervous for this day! I can speak great just having casual conversation, but as soon as I go into a test, I get nervous and it effects my speaking. I have to get above a certain score, to get a diploma from the course. Everyone will graduate, regardless if they pass these tests or not, but in order to get a diploma, one must get certain scores!! SCARY!!!

April 7th.....Michelle's Listening and Reading Exam (Final also...)

Each of these tests is 3 hours long!!! It is very very difficult and long. Out of all the languages taught at DLI, It is said that the Spanish and Arabic tests are the hardest of all. (In other words, the Spanish test is harder than Chinese, Ruissian, Thai, Persian, French, etc!!! CRAZY!!!) Again, with this test, you have to get above a certain score to get a diploma. So the 3 main areas tested are: Speaking, Reading, and Listening.

April 12th........Jon's Birthday!!

He will be turning 31 !!!!!

April 16th.....My family will be here!! And I GRADUATE from SPANISH!!!

To be honest, I am DREADING this day. I have loved my spanish class, the teachers, and the people in it! I am going to cry when this course is over. I will miss everyone! Luckily, my best friend Cristina does not leave Monterey until June. Which is going to be another day I am going to dread!! I really dont want this day to come. lol. I am going to be SAD!!!!! But so glad that I had this wonderful opportunity that I will never get again! And I am so happy that I can now speak spanish!!

May 1st........Break time for Jon!!

Jon's course does not end until October, therefore, they have a class break that goes from May 1st thru May 10th. We are not sure what we are going to do over this break time, Maybe go home to Utah? Im not sure! But we are looking forward to this break time to spend together!!

Sometime in May, after Jon's break........LONDON (and bordering countries!) with my Family!!!!

I am soooooo excited for this! My mom has been putting together this vacation for us! Unfortunately, Jon will be back in school and will not be able to go! :( I am going to miss him, but he will get lots of nice presents from me! Not all of my family is going, just my mom and 2 sisters for now, my older brother may come but not sure! We found a great deal for flight there, and hotel. Plus we are finding that it is very cheap to go by train to bordering countries!! We will be there roughly one week! I am so excited and can hardly wait for this trip!! I have never been to Europe!