It's okay, I'm alive.

Phew. Nothing like an (unplanned) month off from blogging! Not that I was a super frequent blogger anyway.

The rain makes me feel at home. I'm missing Washington more as I realize how little time I have left to even visit. Life all of a sudden just gets so crazy busy being a married upperclassman. Weird, I never thought that would happen. 

However, because we are in Idaho and both avid skiiers I don't feel like I've gotten my fill of snow, spontaneous ski trips, hot chocolate, and feeling the calmness of a fresh layer of snow falling gently to the ground. Something about it is so peaceful, it takes the cake for my favorite weather. I hoped by the end of winter, we would have so much snow I would be sick of it and there would be snow up to my ears. Me and Derek used to joke that we wished there was so much snow that we couldn't walk out our front door and all the buildings would be 90% covered. But that certainly did not happen. And it's March already. So I guess I have to give it up and start thinking of the positives of spring, (and more importantly), summer. I feel like spring is just a transitional season, nothing too great or drastic, just time to kill before summer so we don't all get weather whiplash.

I am pleased to announce that my husband is now employed! We are so happy. This came earlier than expected when he received an email from a teacher saying there was an opening for a tutor to finish out the rest of this current semester. Now, we had been hoping for Derek to be a tutor next semester, but this offer for the next few weeks really was a blessing for us. Needless to say, he got the job and it seems to be going well! (granted today is his first day, but he is a smart cookie :) ) I feel like an official real-world couple now, with both of us working. It's kinda crazy to think people can add babies into this mix as well! No thanks, (for now). Now the trick is to stay frugal when it feels okay to splurge because we both have a source of income, despite it being (very) small. So far, so good!

We both registered for Spring semester classes recently as well. It went well, with the exception of one class I was waitlisted for but eventually got in (go upperclassmen! :) ) I am looking forward to (most) of my classes. I am a little apprehensive about a math class that is required since I: 1. suck at math in general and 2. haven't taken math for 3 semesters. But I am taking a volleyball class which I'm so pumped for! I haven't played legit volleyball since I was on my high school team freshman year! I dunno how 'legit' it will be since it is just a 1 credit class, but it will still be nice to get out and get the blood pumpin'. I've been lacking in the exercise department lately. Whoops. 

It's weird around this time of year prepping for more classes, when every other year at this time, I would be getting ready to pack up my stuff, live at mom and dad's house, and work my buns off. It's bittersweet. I am grateful I don't feel the impeding sense of doom I usually did from anxiety of working another sweaty summer in a greasy grill area next to an ex-convict, or having my summer mantra of "the customer is always right" (even when they are idiots and you question what the world is coming to with these types of people running around). But then again the sense of reward after 5 months straight of that and a pretty substantial savings account was soo nice. It kinda worries me that we (are hoping) to get by with both of us working around 10 hours a week with school. But I have confidence we will make it work! Even if it means eating top ramen every night until it comes out our noses. (My cousin, Melanie can do that on command. It's so cool.)

The bachelor is offically over! But I am however, changing tv obsessions now to Duck Dynasty. That show is freaking hilarious! But I don't even know what to do with myself on Monday nights. (uhh normal FHE, maybe?) That is one of me and Derek's goals, to have an actual lesson and activity each monday night. When it gets warmer out, we are looking forward to going on walks every night! Fitness and bonding all in one! However, we have been pretty awesome at going to the temple every week. (Is it because I have to do it for a project for one of my classes? Maybe. Are we still diligent anyway and reaping blessings from it? Yes maa'm.)

I have been working on cooking as well, I made southwest egg rolls earlier this week and they turned out pretty good! Except for the fact that I forget to portion control my recipes and ended up making freaking 48 of those things. So leftovers are our favorite thing now. And I made some of my Mother-in-Law's delicious "dump cake" (it's yummier than it sounds) and over-portioned that as well. And that one is loaded with fat and sugar so I'm pretty sure I can feel my triple chin coming in after trying to finish off that one. But it does give me more motivation to cook and try more new recipes when they actually work and turn out well! I was on a 'yucky food-cuz-you-suck-at-cooking' trip for a while there which when I did try something new and cool and it didn't turn out, I got frustrated and turned to frozen chicken nuggets and taquitos. Because in my mind, if it doesn't turn out right the first time, I seem to believe that I am not destined to cook at all and it's a little disheartening. However on the flip side, when I do try things that turn out, I get super excited and more ambitious to try more new things! Gladly, lately its been the latter.

Currently, I am enrolled in a self-defense class called R.A.D. (Rape and Aggression Defense) and it is seriously so awesome. I have learned so much on defending myself in hazardous situations and I am much more aware of my surroundings and have options if something were to happen to me. It makes me feel empowered to have this knowledge and practice it twice a week. (Seriously, all women should take it, just go here) Next week is the final week before we graduate and we are putting our skills to the test by having a simulated situation, and a campus police officer is going to attack us! Kinda nervous for that one, I'll post pictures after!




Can't wait for the Festival of Colors coming up soon and seeing my family in a few weeks! Woot woot!






p.s. I need a dog.