What to do...

So what do you do when you have no friends, no family, no wife with you, and you live in Fargo ND, where its 5 degrees out and snowy?  Nothing.  Yup, that's me.  I contemplate going to Walmart just to be around people. But alas, I can survive.

So what do I do in my loads of spare time?  Stay at home and watch the 10 movies I brought with me, do some home projects, and BLOG!  Yes, its been a while, and so I figure I'll keep you all appraised of my ridiculously exciting life up here in Fargo.

So, I decided I wanted a spice rack.  So I looked at all of the different types, and frankly, I didn't like what they were.  So expensive for sub-par styles.  I remembered that Lianna's cousin had an awesome one... It was magnetic.  So I got google and found out how to make one.  

 These are the tins with the magnets gorilla glued to the back.

 That is where I mounted it to the wall.

 Close up picture #1

and #2.

I made it for less than the other spice racks cost.  Now, I can make as many as I want, always upgradeable if I end up needing more tins (Just buy a bigger steel sheet).  Sure, I only have 6 spices now, but the rest are in CO with my sweet wife.  So there you have it.  This is what I do in good old Fargo ND.

if you're interested in doing this yourself, I got the tins HERE and the magnets HERE.  You can get the sheet metal at any home depot, and the glue I used was gorilla glue.  If you don't have some, you MUST get it.  It is amazing, I daresay better than duct tape!

Learning to speak Teo

I have begun a new language: Teo.

My progress is so far:

Lying down, looking at you = I love you, I am inviting you to cuddle or notice me

Standing up, looking at you, tongue slightly out, slight pant= an invitation to play

Standing, slight woof, looks at you and then at an object = i want that object and whatever usually happens with it, OR I think there is an object there that I enjoy using please get it

These above work both ways so far, I can do this to him and he responds, and he does it to me and I respond. It's like a conversation! Below are so far, are one way: either we have trained him or he has trained us I suppose...

Drops a ball in your lap = demands to play, will not be ignored

Tapping the noisemaker we have on the doorknob = i need to pee or chase a squirrel away

Nosing the arm = I am itchy please scratch me now/ continue that feels nice

Whining at the bedroom door when my alarm goes off (its a quiet vibrate; the dog has good ears) = this is your second wake-up call, and i'm hungry, need to pee, and want to play.

He just learned this last one.. MAN how does he know I'm snoozing in?? So not fair.

Proof

Here is the photographical proof that Lianna and I were in Hawaii.  The pictures don't look too good through blogspot... but they are amazing when you see the originals.

 This is by far my most favoritiestesed picture I took

I hope you liked it

shhh... we're going Wegistered Nurse job hunting..

We are now scouring the market for places hiring new-grad nurses. Six rejections, and 2 interviews later, we are still waiting with baited breath, bells-on, with fingers, legs, arms, and eyes crossed for one of the hospital positions to call back and say "We are pleased to welcome you to our team!"

In light of all this, it's testimony time! I absolutely know that Heavenly Father is taking care of us. He has given us food, shelter, and enabled us to pay all our bills when I (who is the budgeteer of the family) saw no way to stretch our money over all those things. I know that He is watching us, knows both me and my husband personally and loves us infinitely. I have complete faith that my husband will find a job, and that it will be in a place that is perfect for us. Part of me is a little worried that it's time for us to become like the proverbial currant bush, and I'm not looking forward to any sort of chopping, but I know that, in spite of my fears and worries, only the best lies ahead.

Aloha Family

At the beginning of July we went to Hawaii! My mom is from there, (90% of her relatives still live there) and there was a big family reunion. It was amazing. Imean, Oahu is nice all the time, but seeing almost the entirety of your relations is what really makes it wonderful.
We stayed in a beach house with my Mom, Aunt, my Brother and his lovely Wife, my Sister, and 3 awesome Cousins! Eating my mom's amazing cooking for a week, buying all the fruits and juices and foods you can't buy anywhere else, smelling the flowers, the ocean.. and of course some ocean and beach time..plus old friends.. Well anyway here are some highlights:

Spent the night with our good friends, and snorkled with them the next day. I highly recommend this snorkle site for proficient swimmers; it's locally called Electric Beach and there are tons of fish everywhere. (check back in a couple days for more pictures here.. they're just not all edited etc yet.)

We even saw dolphins!

Visited with more good friends and their adorable son!
Spent time with my little sister, brother and his wife, and mom, played in the water with cousins,

how fun is that?

not as much fun as this!

My mom and my aunt, soaking up the sun

took a gorgeous hike..

Went to two family reunions - can I say YUM?

PoPo's (grandmother's) side

 
 

We visited the "Blowhole" where a small crevasse in the rock allows sea water to shoot up 20 feet in the air like a whale blowing water.

My husband told us to smile like we really loved each other, and this is what came out of both of us.

Visited the Laie Temple - it was closed for cleaning while we were there, which was a very sad day for us.

It was such a wonderful, wonderful trip. Can't wait until all the pictures are edited!!