New Territory in the Same Back Yard

My best efforts to blog more this semester have not been successful. I went full time at my job in January and Daniel has started a new project at work that keeps him traveling about once a month. This alone has thrown us through the wringer of emotions and adjustments.

On top of that, we are buying a house! Holey cow! I know!

We began the house hunt in early February. On our first outing we found a great tri-level close to our church. It was a short sale (meaning it was pre-foreclosure) but we put in an offer anyway.  This house was a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home that was very much within our price range. I can't say I was in love with this property, but I liked it and I could see us living there for a little while. After nearly a month, we still had not heard back from the bank with a yes or no on our offer. We decided to keep looking.

The next trip out, we found another house. This house, a two story, newer home, was also located close to our church. This one I loved! The newer construction meant high ceilings, clean designs and a nice floorplan. This house was 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and was at a higher price point (while still in our budget). Because we hadn't heard back on the first house, and because we both loved this property, we put in an offer.

And it was ACCEPTED!! :)

The last 2 weeks have been filled with contract signing, inspections, heavy decision making, and dreaming.  It has been more stressful than any time in our recent lives but also more exhilarating!

I have spent too many house on Pinterest and our (new to be) neighbors are probably getting suspicious by the number of times we've driving by the house. We have spent time in deep in conversation around the dining table. We have also spent time drooling over paint colors at Home Depot (a place that becomes significantly more exciting once you are buying a home).

Closing day is March 28. Moving day is April 12.

Let the packing begin!

The End of the Tunnel!

We have made it, ladies and gentlemen, to the end of the long tunnel that is marked by school this semester!
I have not written in FAR too long and the number 1 reason for that is UTTER BUSYNESS!

This semester, Daniel took 3 classes at Red Rocks on top of working full time and being a supervisor at work. I joined him for 1 of the classes (an Intro to Business class) so that we could spend one night a week together. On top of that one class, I played in the Lakewood Symphony and put together 2 events at work (each requiring a significant amount of extra hours). It has been a lot for us!

I am so ecstatic to report that TONIGHT Daniel takes his LAST final of the semester and we will have officially reached the light that we have been chasing for many months now!

This event marks the beginning of Christmas for Daniel and I. It marks 4 weeks without school or orchestra, with family, and birthday celebrations, and Christmas joy!

Daniel and I enjoying the Broncos Game with sister Hannah!

It also marks more blog posts :)

Until next time, I hope you are all enjoying your holiday season so far!

Falling for fall

Most of you know that winter is my favorite season and have read about my love affair with snow. (If not, read here) This year, however, I am falling in love with fall.
Things I love about fall so far:
-Cooler weather. Sheldon and I are loving our walks, enjoying the changing leaves, the cool breeze, and the sweaters. Dare I say fall has a wonderful smell?

-Pumpkin. Another change....I don't usually like the taste of pumpkin. Shocking, I know! I don't even like the Pumpkin spice lattes. This year, however, I stumbled upon this recipe and have been filling my tummy with yummy pumpkin. I found this today too....

-Sweaters and boots. Need I say more?
-Soup (and green chile)!
-And redecorating! I even brought wheat stalks into my home.....

-Daniel would vote for football too....which I can't disagree with. I enjoy watching the games and the socializing that comes with it. 

 

What is your favorite part of fall?

 

Whatever it is.....go out and enjoy!

The light at the end of the tunnel

Almost 3 months since my last post it won't come as a surprise that my summer has been CRAZY! Being my first summer season without an accompanying break from school, I was anxious and nervous to see what this season would hold. Now, as the end of summer approaches, I have to say that this year has been crazier and busier that I ever dreamed.

Work has been continuously busy this whole summer for both Daniel and I. Daniel has been taking on more leadership roles, which require more time and energy. He has also had several major projects come to conclusion, also demanding extra tlc. He is loving his job and flourishing despite the extra stress. The company that I work for, Colorado Honor Band, also ramps up during the summer months. We have 5 summer concerts, a summer camp, and an international trip on top of the usual rehearsals and office work. It has been stretching me, making me work harder and making me aware of the areas I need to grow. Apparently I have a creative brain after all, which enjoys making fliers and posters and find itself avoiding lists and stats. I am, however, growing in the areas I need and am loving the job I have been blessed with. I am looking forward to the future and hoping to go full time in January.

Colorado Honor Band playing at Washington Park

A downer for me this summer was hitting my 50 lb weight loss goal. That should be a great exciting encouragement right? It was in a lot of ways, but over time I developed too drastic expectations for my body and felt the pull to be finished with this weight loss process faster than was possible for my body. This ultimately led to a loss of motivation and depression. I fell off the wagon and it has taken me almost all summer to get back on track. 50 lbs is a great accomplishment, but having 50 lbs still to go can be a downer. I need to look 1 pound at a time in front of me. 1 foot in front of the other. I am happy to report that this week was the best I have done and felt in a long time and I am feeling encouraged for this next week.

Daniel and I celebrating our 1 year anniversary

Don't feel too sorry for me and my busy, stressful summer, though. Daniel and I have taken a couple great trips and have spent due time relaxing by the pool, climbing mountains, spending time together and enjoying being married!

At the top of the Manitou Incline. The hardest thing I've ever done, but I finished it!

In My House

In my house we do:
Kindness.
Respect.
and Friendliness.

In my house we do not make guests feel unwelcome or uncomfortable.

In my house kids are part of the family.
In my house there is an appropriate time for talking and an appropriate time for listening.
There is a time for being crazy and a time to be calm.
In my house we have an equal amount of snuggles and play time.

In my house we do not disturb the neighbors.

In my house we do not go potty on the carpet or eat out of the trash.

Now, how do I tell that to the new dog?

Honeymoon.....OVER!

 No no, I'm not talking about my new marriage. I'm talking about my love for snow. You may remember me gushing over our first snow of the year.

I love snow, I eagerly await snow, I get so excited to see that it has snowed.

Except in May!

April 30. Beautiful!

May 1!

This year we had snow on May 1. MAY 1!! 

Really??

Yes, yes, I am appreciative of the moisture it brings and it is still as beautiful as ever.

But.....May?

I have so many cute skirts and sandals and new outfits that are waiting to be worn!

No more snow until winter time.......please?!


Thankfully it looks to be the last of the snow for us this year (**crossing fingers**).

Lost and Found

Sheldon

Adopted: Saturday, April 27, 2013 

Teller County Regional Animal Shelter

Comment from Petco worker on Saturday: "What a great dog! Someone left a pot of gold and you picked it up!"

A true pot of gold he is! We have fallen in love with Sheldon so fast. He is such an amazing dog and adds so much joy to our family! 

A treasure found is not quickly left behind.  It makes me think of how little kids will find a rock or a leaf and quickly it becomes their most precious possession. 

Being so precious to us now, I can't imagine losing our new special buddy and I can't seem to get Sheldon's previous owners out of my mind. A dog with such love and loyalty, who is so well behaved, can only come from owners who took the time and energy to pour into him, to work with him, and to love him. Are they feeling loss and heartbreak now, as we are feeling such love and joy? Do they feel a hole in their lives, as we are experiencing fulfillment in ours? It breaks my heart to think about it.

Found as a stray, Sheldon spent over 30 days in the shelter. His ad was on petfinders.com, a well populated website. He has distinct markings and a unique look. I am holding onto these facts, choosing peace that his previous family was given due time and resources to have been able to find him and that there must have been something more to the story than a runaway dog in a small town in Teller County. I am holding onto my belief that God brought Sheldon to us and that we are meant to be apart of his life. I hope that where ever they are, the previous owners would know that their dog has found a great home where he is loved and cherished. We promise to take care of him to the best of our ability and to love him always!

Welcome to our family, Sheldon! 

RTD

This week we are dealing with the coinciding of a busy work week and the breaking down of my car. Also thrown into the mix is the purchase of the most stupid car ever --Daniels new MANUEL Toyota Matrix. Long story short I can't drive stick. 

That leaves me one option. Take the bus. 

I was really excited to take the bus. I don't have much bus experience. After taking the bus to elementary school, I walked to middle and high school and was blessed with a car for college. I haven't ever had to rely on the public transportation system for a daily commute, though I have used it in other cities, on vacation, and the denver light rail to get downtown. My work is located on the same street that I live, except about 10 miles or so down the road. I usually take that single road to work and back in my car. Why would taking the bus be any harder? 

Things I learned about RTD:

*Just because there are 4 (particularly spread out) bus stops on the map doesn't mean those are the ONLY stops available. 

*It is okay to use any of the other 5 bus stops that are significantly closer to home. 

*It is best to have exact change.

*The use of a book or magazine would make the trip more enjoyable. 

*Bringing a large bag that carries everything is better than many bags that are hard to manage.

*When walking several blocks to the "nearest" bus stop in 20 degree weather, dry hair, a hat, and gloves are preferred.

*There is a whole world of people who get where they need to go on the bus. 

*Taking the bus means being patient, taking life a little slower, and thinking ahead. 

Memories

6 years ago I won the Sister Cities Concert Competition and performed the Barber Violin Concerto with the Lakewood Symphony. Also on the program was Mark Simpson, clarinet, from Liverpool, England (seen below).

Part of winning the competition is a two week summer tour of Chester England. This trip proved to be much more influential than I could have imagined. Falling between my Junior and Senior years of high school, this trip reignited my passion for performing and reinforced my desire to pursue music in college. The tour included several performances in the area surrounding Chester, inside churches, schools, and even the city's cathedral. I performed a prepared recital set for several different audiences in such varied, unique venues. I was able to perform with several incredible pianists and shared performances with several other gifted performers. These recitals allowed me to experience a side of being a musician that is rarely experienced. I fell in love with soloing and touring!

While performing was a significant highlight of the trip that I often remember, it was the friendships I made and the places I saw that hold tight to my heart strings. I lived with two families during my two week stay. The first was the family of Simon Bates, a high school trumpet player whose family owned a milk farm. The farm was full of rich character and gave me the unique experiences of star gazing through a hand made telescope, drinking fresh milk and losing my "wellie" in the mud. The second family, of winner Mark Simpson, lived in Liverpool. Here I saw city life--flagging taxis and eating french fries and Indian food at midnight while out on the town. Both families and experiences were amazing----ones I often think of and will never forget!

Here I am with the Bates family (left) and the Simpson family(right)

Tomorrow is the annual Sister Cities concert with the Lakewood Symphony. It is my favorite concert because I am always flooded with memories of the great experiences, the great people, and the great music that I met back in 2007. I cannot express my gratitude enough to those people who made my trip possible...but if you're out there and listening...Thank you!

What happens when the Mr. is away?

Daniel went on his first business trip since we have been married on Monday. It was a short, there and back, kind of trip, but none the less his presence was desperately missed in our little apartment. Thankfully, I am playing in mom's musical and was incredibly busy during his 24 hour, over night trip.

However, his absence did include:

• wearing sweats too many hours
• never closing the bathroom door
• sleeping on the couch
• watching late night tv
• eating soup for lunch and dinner
• morning starbucks 
• and a little spur of the moment spring decorating!

A New Focus

The company that I work for is looking to expand, while also hoping to retire it's executive director/program director/leader/supporter/etc (all in one person). This weekend we had an all day strategic planning meeting where we discussed how we're going to accomplish both of these challenging goals over the next 7-10 years. During this meeting, I volunteered to head up the much need fundraising growth for the organization. We are a non-profit that has been around for 60 years, but we are way behind in knowing about fundraising, nor do we have someone whose job it is to head up the fundraising process. In order to expand to where we want to go someone needs to learn about fundraising and become better at it. I am very excited about this new project I have taken on. I see it as an investment in myself and the talents I have to give to my job. Even though I know virtually NOTHING about getting donors and raising money, I am dedicated to taking classes, reading articles and books, and doing anything and everything I can to get my feet wet. 

Wish me luck!

A week of celebration and reflection

This last week marked 6 months of marriage (on the 7th) and 3 years since Daniel and I started dating (on the 10th). We celebrated by going to eat at Hacienda Colorado and ice skating in Belmar. 

Hacienda was fantastic. My only complaint was that they no longer sold fried ice cream (which I really wanted). Ice skating was a leap of faith for me because I have never really skated before. My previous time on the ice consisted of tip-toeing/walking around the edge on ice skates. This time, however, I really put myself out there and let go, actually gliding across the ice and skating.


Looking back on our journey, ice skating was the perfect event to celebrate! The biggest thing I have learned from my relationship with Daniel is trust. I have more faith in myself and my body. I have more faith in the things that Daniel tells me, but most importantly, I have learned what it means to really trust. I have a lot of fear in my life and I have coped in the past by making sure I am always in control. I don't take risks, I don't leave things up to chance, and I certainly don't put myself in situation where I could get hurt or embarrassed. I am learning, however, that sometimes things are okay (or even fun) when I step out of my very small box and take chances. I am learning that sometimes Daniel is right when he says "it will be okay", even if I don't see that it will be alright. Daniel hasn't been wrong yet. I am learning to test my body, push through my fears, and am enjoying new adventures much more than I ever thought I would. This is such a freeing experience and I am grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn through this journey. 

This is certainly not the only area that I have been tested and grown in through our relationship and marriage but it was clear to me this past week and I wanted to write about it. Marriage is such a blessing!!

Also....I got really cute new shoes for dinner. Too bad I had to take them off for skating- good thing Valentines Day is coming up!

Christmas

This Christmas season has been so different than last year!
Last year I quickly fell out of love with Christmas - turning off the radio early and being unenthralled with gift buying and celebrating. Reflecting back to last Christmas my life was in disarray. I was living with my parents, commuting far to school, not sure if I would graduate, did not know what the future held, and had just gotten engaged but had no plans for the wedding. No wonder I couldn't stop and enjoy the holiday!

I have so enjoyed Christmas this year! This year I have peace with my life. I am married, have a job, feel settled and full. I have enjoyed every minute of Christmas music and excitement. I found joy in gift buying, even sought out the crazy shopping. God filled my Christmas with the joy of Jesus' birth and from that the love for those around me. 

Spiritually I have been reflecting on Gods promise to the world that He would bring a savior and His perfect sovereignty. Also, within the fulfillment of this promise, God tested his servant Joseph, throwing him a curveball but using it to save a nation. 
What promises has God made you? Will you be patient for as long as it takes, even hundreds of years, believing God will be faithful on all He has promised? 
What curveballs has God thrown you lately? He sure has thrown some my way- and I can't wait to see how God uses those to do BIG things! 

This year I had great celebrations with my big new wonderful family!

Friday, December 21: Seeing The Hobbit with the Ellis' and the Grosskopfs
Saturday and Sunday, December 22-23: Going to Mt. Princeton Hot Springs with the Grosskopfs
Monday, December 24: Flesher-Hinton Christmas band, Christmas cooking, movies  and sleep over with the Marbles
Tuesday, December 25: Morning gifts and breakfast with the Marbles, afternoon time with my hubby, and evening dinner with the Grosskopfs. 

Wednesday, December 26: recovery with the hubby followed by a game night with the Marbles and Grosskopfs!

My family is so much bigger than last year and is so much fun!

I hope you enjoyed your Christmas season as much as I did!

Losing our "wisdom"

This weekend, Daniel and I both got our wisdom teeth removed. We had been procrastinating it for a LONG time but it had finally become a necessity. Because we would most likely take days off of work to take care of each other, we decided we'd do it together.

Last week consisted of my preparations for the big event.
I went to the library.

And stocked our fridge with yogurt, pudding, ice cream, roman noodles, and soup.

Thankfully, Dad agreed to pick us up and drive us home on Friday morning. We were not in such good shape when we finally got home, but we made the best of our situation. The best part was going through it together!

I bet it would have been HILARIOUS to have heard us trying to talk to each other with mouths full of gauze!

Our recovery is going very well! We only took the big pain pills twice, both times on Friday. We're down to just Tylenol. We are still trying to chew soft, squishy substances that are NOT SMALL PIECES! Food getting stuck in our wholes is our current fear and obsession.

Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is tomorrow. (good for my diet)
Fortunately, I can still eat stuffing!!!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and be thankful this year that you can chew!



*funny story about the title: Daniel forgot the word "teeth" when announcing to his work that we would be "Getting our wisdom out". :)

First Snow*

I love snow!

I love the freshness of the air and the clean blanket of white that covers everything in sight.

   

Thursday was our first *real* snowfall of the season. 

I celebrated by:

I made a pot of chili
Yum-o!

I pulled my favorite red coat out of the closet
and flaunted it all over town.

 

I drank coffee (of course)

           

               And read a good book.

But the main reason I love snow is because it comes when we celebrate my favorite holiday in my favorite month. In anticipation, and in celebration of our snow, I took a trip to Michaels and allowed myself to drool over these:

Enjoy the snow! and a Merry way too early Christmas!

The Coffee Experiment

I have a coffee addiction. More specifically, I have a Starbucks addiction. Even more specifically, I have a carmel latte addiction.
I love the taste of the milk and coffee and carmel mixture. I love it hot or cold. I love the experience of going to the coffee shop and walking out with my coffee in hand. I would go EVERY day!

But the problem is...$$$

About a month ago, my adoring husband gave me this:

This is an espresso maker. You fill the bottom with water and then it boils up through coffee grounds into the top part. It is so easy to make (and clean!)

So we have been experimenting with making our own coffee. While I have had to give up some of my coffee shop going wonderfulness, I am enjoying sipping carmel lattes on my couch, in my sweats.

Some of the coffee concoctions we've made are:

• Pumpkin Spice Latte (only 3 pp if you make it at home) 

          

• White Chocolate Mocha
• Mocha Cookie Crumble 
• Carmel Macchiato
  And of course...lots of
• Carmel lattes! (both iced and hot)
  
  
  

One-derland

Yesterdays snow was an early surprise, considering it is only the 5th of October. It wasn't my only pleasant surprise yesterday, however.

I have been doing Weight Watchers for almost 3 years. It has been an ongoing struggle, a battle that I sometimes choose to lose and other times push through for a win. I have struggled with my weight since ...forever...and I will have to continue to monitor what I eat and exercise until I die. This is a realization that has been hard for me. I feel like the people I'm around can eat whatever they want whenever they want it and I become jealous and upset. It has taken me 3 years to realize that everyone SHOULD watch what they eat and exercise, that I am not abnormal, but ahead of the curve. My twenty-something friends will realize that they too need to watch their intake of food.

It has been this place of comfort and my incredibly supportive and encouraging husband, who has made it possible for me to lose 26 pounds on Weight Watchers so far! He was the one who encouraged me to join WW at the beginning of my junior year in college. He has helped me become more active and has been so supportive in me watching what I eat! (He even ate Subway EVER Sunday for lunch for almost a year!) I was able to lose 20 lbs in the two years at school. (Stress sucks!)
Since our wedding I have kicked into high gear. I am tired of wasting time and only halfway trying! I want to lose this weight SO bad it hurts and I am so motivated!

Over the last 8 weeks I have tracked and counted ever point. We have exercised every weekday morning for the last 7 weeks and have made an effort to be active on the weekend. I am really starting to notice major differences in my appearance and I am feeling great!

Yesterday I reached my first big goal of weighing less than 200 lbs. I reached ONE-DERLAND!!

I think there is a little difference:

  226lbs 199 lbs

My New Life

So much has changed in the last 3 months.
I've changed my career, my home, and my last name.
I've graduated from college so I am no longer spending my time with homework, classes, rehearsals, and practicing. Instead I spend my time:

Working my new job at Colorado Honor Band as the office assistant.

Working out with my husband in the mornings.

Counting points and actively working hard to lose weight.

Picking up the house (making the bed).

Doing laundry.
Cooking.
Shopping.
Drinking coffee.

Talking with friends.

A (little) violin playing.

Most importantly: Spending as much time as possible with my wonderful husband!









Needless to say, I love my new life. We are still adjusting to the new schedule and are finding the need to hold on as tightly as possible to any time we have together, but we are more relaxed, more connected, and happy! As our lives continue to lead in a forward direction I am praying that we will be excited and patient with whatever lies before us. I want to treasure ever moment Daniel and I have together. This is a new adventure and every moment is exciting! So far, our new life is proving to be such a blessing! What more could two newlyweds ask for?

Honeymoon

I don't feel particularly motivated to blog about the honeymoon. I want to move on and blog about my new life as a wife.
However, I also cannot ignore the need to finish what I started and that includes blogging about the honeymoon. So here it goes...

Daniel surprised me with a beautiful trip to the Floriday Keys. I had no idea until we were in the car, driving through the rain, towards DIA-and then I only found out we were flying into Miami.
I found out at the car rental that we were actually driving the 1-2 hour drive down to the Keys.
In the keys Daniel had rented a beautiful condo. After a slight snag in plans (the condo wasn't ready when we got there at 9 am after an all night flight) we had a beautiful trip with many wonderful adventures!

 
These are a couple pictures of our condo.

We had so many wonderful adventures! We kayaked in the ocean by our condo, went jet skiing, and snorkeled.

Here are a few pictures from our trip down to Key West. It was so hot that day so we basically went from shop to shop, trying to stay in the air conditioning.

 

  This is a picture of the "golf cart" you could rent.

These pictures (above) are from a dessert restaurant called "Better than Sex". I had sparkling red wine with white chocolate around the rim and Daniel had a strawberry beer with chocolate around the rim. He also had a dessert "grilled cheese"(brie and dark chocolate melted between two slices of pastry dough and a strawberry sauce for dipping). It was amazing!

One day we went to a park called "Theater of the Sea" where we saw a dolphin and sea lion show and saw beautiful fish and sea life. We decided this was better than seeing any of that while swimming in the ocean water...though we did see a manatee from a dock one night.
















We also tried new foods:

Like a coconut and a horned melon. Neither very good...
And we enjoyed beautiful sunsets and ocean views!

 

Mostly we just enjoyed relaxing and being together. We would read most mornings on our porch overlooking the water and then we would plan an activity for the day. Afterwards we would go out for a nice dinner and then enjoy time together at night. It was the perfect getaway after our wedding!

This picture is from Miami Beach, where we went the last day.
It was a great day despite the sunburns and sand on the plane...but that's a story for another day.