No More Mouse, No More House

For the last two months I have been working really hard at the basement that we were going to rent when our lease is up next month. We have been preparing for and planning on this house since a few months before our wedding and were oh-so-excited to move in! I even signed the paperwork at our current apartment letting them know they could release it because we were definitely leaving. The new place would be in the basement of one of Luke's parents friends house, right around the corner from them. Nobody has lived there in about a year and a half so it needed some love and fixing up. Jolene, Stacy, Melissa, Myron, Bryan, Luke and I have all spent time over there cleaning, painting, killing spiders, and doing handywork so the place would be ready to be lived in when our lease is up. About two weeks ago, while at the house we found these little black things all over the apartment. I freaked out and thought we had a mouse. I made Luke go buy mouse traps and set them up, and no longer wanted to go there by myself to work on the house for fear of finding a mouse--dead-- in one of the traps.

Well, the good news is the problem is not a mouse. We have an infestation of potato bugs! I had never heard them called that until now--they are rolly pollies in my world-- all over the house! With some vaccuming and spraying the problem was quickly taken care of so I could get back to work on preparing the house.

Last Saturday Luke and I went over there early in the morning to paint and get a few things done before going on the rest of our errands for the day. Currently, Luke's cousin and brother live upstairs. To put it kindly, Luke's cousin and I don't care for one another. That is a MAJOR understatement, but is the nicest way I can put it. We have had some problems in the past, and Saturday morning would have been no different, except this time the conflict ended with me in tears. I am not a crier. I HATE crying in front of people. This should be an exciting time for us moving into our first home together, and I should not have to dread getting off work and going home in fear of who is already there. SO Luke and I made the decision that it will be better for us as a couple (and for my sanity!) not to live with this cousin. Even with all the work we have put in over there, we are bettering our life by not putting ourselves in a bad situation.

Since Saturday, we have been scouring KSL, Craigslist, Forrent.com and the Apartment Guide. We spent hours researching, driving around to look at places, calling for availability, and yesterday we found it. The Perfect Place. An apartment that we can afford, with washer and dryer hookups, on the third floor, and it has a ceiling fan! The benefits are that the complex has a heated pool, and a year round hot tub!--as well as plenty of parking and being set back off the main road, but still having a good view of the Jordan River. We also had a minimum deposit and get one month of FREE rent for signing a year long lease! We get the keys on August 20th, and are both very excited. This is how moving to your first home should feel! So, no more mouse, and no more house, but yay to a new (clean) place and the beginning of digging ourselves out of debt!

All bets are off!

We did it! I went for a whole month without chocolate, and Luke without soda.

Last night we stayed up until midnight so we could end our challenges together. At 1201AM we broke into the buckeyes Lauren brought me three weeks ago that have been sitting in my freezer ever since. The peanut butter part was delicious, but after a month without the chocolate didn't taste as good as I had hoped. Luke has not had soda yet, but thinks he will swear it off except for on occasion. He has felt healthier without it and has dropped 10 pounds! I have also lost four pounds in the last month, but am not sure if that is in direct relation to giving up chocolate or not. We had a lot of fun teasing each other with this challenge and are now trying to come up with a new one for each other for the next month. This is my prize for giving up something I loved:

Luke also get a prize--he wanted some part for his car that I dont know what it is! So Yay to both of us for willpower! Any suggestions for the next challenge are welcomed!

Asher-isms

Last Friday Melissa brought the kids over while helping me paint at our "new" house (It is a rental that we will be moving in next month, but nobody has lived there for about a year and it is quite dirty. The owner is letting us paint and fix it up like our own!) Jaman and Asher were watching movies on Melissa's laptop while she and I were painting and wiping down walls. Luke actually got the day off and came over to help as well. Asher LOVES him, and always asks me where he is if he is not there. At one point I called him "babe" and Asher put her hands on her hips and said "Kewwy, he is NOT a babe"

Later I gave her some kool-aid and told her not to spill. Her favorite word right now is "why" so she asked and I told her because it would make a mess and then I would be mad at her. She actually stoped the Why's at one and drank her juice--when she was finished she was very proud of herself and said "Kewwy--you not mad at me--I didn't spill!" Cutest thing ever! I think even if she had spilt I couldn't be mad at that she is too dang cute!

The funniest one was when I sent Luke to get us some pizza for lunch. She asked where he went and I told her to get us some pizza. She said her favorite word "why" and I said because he is hungry! and she continued-- "why" so I said Because he is a man! Then she repeated "Wuke is a hungy man?" I laughed so hard when he got back she said it to him--Wuke you is a hungy man! and wanted to say it again to me, and Melissa. She is so funny and always has something new and funny to tell us when she is around.

Burial At Sea

Last night when Luke got home from work I was asleep. He came in and woke me up and was very upset. Our Beta fish, George, that I bought him for his birthday had died. George had been acting weird lately, and honestly we had kind of neglected him while we were away for the weekend. I thought maybe he was sleeping, but after trying to arouse him it was evident he was gone. So, our final salute to our first pet. He was a good fish and gave us some good laughs. Asher loved him, Lauren hated him, Leslie never got to "meet" him. Luke apologized for neglecting him as he had a toilet-side burial. Farewell our fishy friend!

Freedom, Four Wheelers and Fireworks!

Fourth of July this year was lots of fun. We drove up to Logan to meet up with our friends Rich & Alana. Alana and I served on the mission together so it is always fun to get together and catch up with her. We took her parents four wheelers out up in Logan canyon for my first four wheeling experience! We had so much fun, and even crossed the border into Idaho so I can officially say I have been there now!


Then we drove up to Gibson Lakes and even had to go through some snow to get there! This is us in front of the more impressive of the two lakes

On the way back Luke let me drive a little, and those things are harder than they look! I was a little sore afterwards, but we had a great time. I did pretty good for my first time until we hit the bumps in the road--I was going about 25 and hit a dip funny and didn't tip, but took us on a detour through the bushes! Luke was holding on to me yelling "Honey! Honey get on the road!" I gave him a good scare, but I got us back without throwing us off. Still, I don't think I will be driving another four wheeler for a long time!

That night we picked up some pizza and played card games while we camped out waiting for the fireworks to start in the tiny town of Lewiston. I LOVE fireworks and think it is my favorite part of the fourth. I was a little disappointed as this is my first year (except for the mission where we were in bed before they started anyway) not in Vegas for the awesome shows. Alana assured me
I would not be disappointed, and it turns out I wasn't! They put on a good show in tiny little towns! We were laying in the grass and it looked like the fireworks were right above us! Alana said sometimes the ash even falls right on you! But, I have to give credit to lewiston for putting on a not-as-lame-as-I-thought-it-would-be show!

Now for the freedom part... I am truly greatful to be an American where we have freedoms, and for those who are fighting or have fought for us to keep those freedoms. We are truly blessed (or spoiled) as a nation. and I am greatful for a day to celebrate that! Happy Birthday America!