Spring Break Update

So the long awaited week has come and gone.
Our trip back to good old AZ was way to short, John was able to stay from last saturday to sunday, and myself just Tuesday to Friday, but am grateful for each day I had.
Arizona was beautiful! To say the least.
It was such a nice break, to go back home is torture because eventually we will have to come back here, i know I am making it sound so bad here, it is really not, but it is hard going home.
A few highlights of our trip to AZ!
Body World Three at the Phoenix musuem was absolutely amazing, it was really cool to see real human bodies like that. I had to keep reminding myself that I was not looking a a statue or manican, but a real body, just like mine. Crazy!!


Favorite Restaurant visits including Oreganos, Guedos, and Cafe Rio.
My mother and I getting pampered and the local salon, with spa pedicures, so sad but no time for a massage!
I did make and take dinners with my mom, such a great idea! Freezer to oven, so easy!
Relax, watch movies, games, and chat with the fam!
Out to dinner and watched the Suns game with all our AZ friends!! Such a great chance to catch up!

John with Crew, a new baby of Wyatt and Jenny.

John spending time helping, preparing, and carrying out his brother's eagle project, they painted 220 fire hydrants!!


Hanging out with the newest member of the fam, Johns brother got a new cute little puppy!! Baxter!


Now back to school and back to work! Reality! But we are so looking forward to the summer where other fun vacations will take place, hopefully!!!!

Post vacation!
On Sunday, I had to do sharing time all by myself, since my second half stayed in AZ to help with the eagle project. Lets just say I survived and its over. Trying to control a class of sunbeams, and teach a lesson to the rest of primary, while trying to involve the kids can be a little difficult, by yourself!! Here a glipse of what went down. Six keys to prepare you to enter the temple.



Yes you are looking at a cardboard temple, which the kids would enter following each key.
Monday night we had the missionaries over for dinner. I tried this new recipe thanks to rachel ray, it was delicious, and will keep it again to make in the future, tomatillo and chicken tostadas, very interesting recipe, has zucchini in it, but so good!!Right before spring break, I recieved my first gift from a patient, a yummy box of chocolates! My patients are so great, and nice!


Sorry for such a long post, but I gotta keep you updated!!

Marriage Expert

Oh, no not I. But this comes from Lucille Johnson who is a popular marriage and family expert, who gave a CES fireside. My dad sent this to John and I and we enjoyed discussing this for FHE. Take a look, and discuss it with your husband, have fun with it. We all need times to sit down and discuss our needs, and ways to improve etc. Do you agree or disagree????

Top 5 needs of a Woman
1- Affection
2- Pillow talk, just listen, dont try to fix it
3- Fidelity and trust
4- Financial support
5- Spiritual Leadership


Top 5 needs of a Man
1- Physical Intimacy
2- Do something with husband that he enjoys
3- Needs to be praised and admired
4- Be happy to see him when he gets home
5- Moderate organization in the home

Just something to think about!

Our Weekend in the Heat!!

The heat you may be thinking, are they still in Buffalo??? Yes, and it has gotten quite hot here, or at least for this place, I know its 80 in AZ, but here being in the high 30's over the weekend was quite a heat wave. Wow, I was not freezing when I would walk outside. Anyway, the snow is starting to melt, and I am hoping spring is coming, and this is not just a teaze.

Anyway, on Friday, John and I were looking forward to attending the temple On Friday night, with his cousin Adam, so off we were, well the the way, the thought came to me to check Johns recommend, and yes good thing we did, his recommend was indeed expired. i was totally bummed. I was looking forward to going with my husband, but instead he was our chauffer to and from the temple. It was a great experience like always, but so sad that John could not enter. Next time, for sure!
Saturday was my friend's stephanie's shower, unfortunately I could not attend, but I heard it was great fun.
( Dont worry, this is not now, notice no snow and sunny skies, I wish. . . )

Sunday was a special day for my sister and for our family. In provo utah, she blessed her little baby Jackson. I was so sad that John and I had to stay here in Buffalo, but it was a great day for them.

Also Kristen and I decided to do some visiting teaching, this new year, we are trying to VT every month, its March, but we are going to do better. It is always fun to meet other women in the ward.

Speaking of other women in the ward, we had enrichment last week, where I made some FHE file folder games. They are really cute. I am not finished but here is the idea.



John has been so good lately, helping out on days that I work, coming home and starting dinner, so when I come home, we can sit down and eat quicker and I have been so impressed. It helps out a ton!! He looks great in my new apron, doesn't he??



The Countdown begins!! Less than one week, until Spring Break from Dental School, John goes home to AZ on Saturday, and me a week from today on Tuesday!! Yeah, a nice little visit back home will be so nice!

Remembering Slider

I will tell you a little about Slider. She was born september 3rd, a long time ago, and died March 6th 2007. I remember talking my mom into letting us have this dog, she wasn't too excited. But we finally got this dog. SHe was a lhasa apso. My sister and I were so excited, we spent the first three nights we had her out in the hallway, having a sleepover with the dog. My dad named her Slider, because it was his favorite pitch in baseball, she was a girl, and he has two daughters and a wife so we let him choose the name. During her long life, we took her to obedience lessons in the park, had dog birthday parties for her, took her swimming, camping, gave her baths. Dressing her up in doogie jackets, and clothes, teaching her how to sit shake, dance, and lay. One year, our family vacation was cancelled due to her few thousand dollar speciality eye surgery. As her life went on I watched her get ran over by a car, and rushing her into the doggie ER, watch her get weak(arthritis), have heart problems, and have seizures. Eventually her suffering was too great, not being able to go up or down stairs, and struggling to even lay down, so my parents sadly took to her the vet yesterday to say goodbye. We will always remember slider. Love you!!

On a more happy note. John's new favorite addiction, it is a website called steep and cheap. Although he has bought a few things, most where for me, one a nice red nixon watch.($25 originally like 80) I love it and wear it often.

Another is a black special blend sweatshirt, it was getting bad, with it being freezing here I only had two sweatshirts and they were really old, so I love that also.

John also bought three ski googles, he needed a pair, and the others he plans on selling on ebay for a profit. Lets cross our fingers. The website has some great deals, but no more we have decided, it can be quite addicting, and we end up buying all this random stuff!!

Just because. . . . John brought me home a newly shined and polished silver tooth, that he waxed up at school. May not sound too exciting but it is. And it was added to my keychain that I will always have to remind me of my wonderful husband in dental school.


Also I have gotten a few things. I have been wanting some tall candle holders and saw some at walmart on clearance so I bought them. I love em, they look great with our decor downstairs, and the candles smell so good.

Also I bought some beautiful bright gerber daisies to go in my vase, it really makes me want spring now, but I will have to just look at them, while it remains -10 with windchill outside!!



Tonight I am off to enrichment, we are learning and doing some Family Home Evening activities and crafts. Fun, Fun with the girls. I am looking forward to Friday, John and I are going on a date to the temple, and I am looking forward to it. Tomorrow I have another fun day at work, I must say it has been nice with these last two days off, but back to real life!!!

Happy Birthday to the other man in my life!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful father!!!


March 6th, 2007, Celebrating a half century today, his halfway point!
A little bit about my dad. . . He grew up in McGill Nevada, with 4 brothers, he gave my mom a friendship ring in the 5th grade. Played sports, and motorcross growing up. Went to UNLV for business school and played baseball. Got drafted to Cleveland Indians triple A Team, and married my mother. Got baptized into the church of jesus christ of latter day saints, and welcomed my sister and I enter the world. Worked for nextel communications for several years, and now is an investment representative for Edward Jones. He always put family first, sacrificing, and making time for what was most important. He was and is the greatest example of how a father and husband should be.

Thinking of you today as it is your special day, I love you and happy birthday!!

Work and Fun

Must make time for both. Work and fun, or for John study and fun! If only they were split 50% 50%. Maybe one day!
John successfully survived last week, with 3 tests in only five days of school called for lots of cramming and late nights, but hopefully all went well, and he is getting started on the two tests next weeki! The joys of mid terms.

Anyway, Saturday I worked and it was my last day on orientation, which means, so far I have always had a partner, just teamed with another nurse, now starting tomorrow, I will be on my own!! Yeah, a big girl, in my first real job, and a little excited and a little scared.

Saturday John studyed during the day, while I worked, he is enjoying that thought so much, me being his sugar mama, I tell him to enjoy it while it lasts buddy! That night he went stag to our friends house, or a delicious dinner and company. I joined him after work, it had been a while since we spent the night with friends, it always ends up the girls talking in one room, and the boys in the other. Funny!

Sunday we enjoyed a nice testimony meeting, and primary. Our little sunbeams were a little rowdy today, but cute and fun. We learned about being thankful for water, and brought in snow, to watch it melt from outside ( I guess something good about the snow). After church, our friends Josh and Alanna blessed their cute baby Cohen, we enjoyed the blessing, and the company of good friends again, and we chatted and ate!

A little bit of everything. . . .

I know its been awhile. I am sorry i will do my best to let you know what is new with us out here in good ol' buffalo.

I must rewind to tell you about my friend Alanna who recently celebrated her 21st birthday, along with the birth of her new son Cohen. ( don't worry not on the same day). He is so cute with a full head of black hair. We got together and celebrated her birthday and got to meet the newest member of their family!




My other friend Stephanie is due in the beginning of April, so a shower is in the making for her boy coming soon! I am so bummed that I have to work the day of her shower, but I will tell you more about the joys of working in a few. you might be wondering when John jr or sarah jr is coming along, and I wonder that too, but John not so much !! just kidding. It was one of my new years resolutions to be pregnant by the end of the year, who knows, we might announce the news on December 31st! But we are just enjoying life with the two of us, and love hanging around with everyone else's new babies.

John is keeping busy studying all the time, mid terms are in full swing, with two-four tests a week!!!! yeah, He spends more time with his computer than with me, like times 2!! He studies late and is up early for more. I try to be supportive, I know he is trying his best. I still try to have a date night each week, when we can hang out together, and not think about school or work. Even though he is busy studying we try to have fun, and he still has time to bring back to Blue Steel from Zoolander in his spare moments!!


Well, Work is going great. I have one more day of orientation then i am cut loose, on my own. I am excited and feel semi- ready. I work with good people. I only thing that is hard, is getting up in thte morning, once I am there the day goes by super fast. I am learning so much and it's definately nice getting a little reward($)! Its something new in our lives for sure!! I like knowing that I only work three days a week, some sundays which is not fun, but I have more days off then I work so it gives me plenty of time to relax, and do the fun stuff (clean, shop, etc).

John and I are enjoying our callings as the sunbeam teachers. well, some days are better than others. Trying to control 8 three year olds can be a handful, especially if I work, and John is on his own. I have this chart that I use to try to get them to behave that I made, earn stars for good behavior get a prize type thing. And I don't know yet how well it is working, but we will see. They are so cute, and its fun to work together!


Tuesday night we had the missionaries over for dinner. We always enjoy them in our house, the spirit they have is amazing when they were their testimonies, it is so strong, and we love that brought into our home. It always get me excited for missionary work once they leave. hopefully some day JOhn and I can serve a mission, long after denistry has died down, and can teach and serve, but for now, I have to look for missionary experiences around me!! We enjoyed some yummy shredded pork sandwiches, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and salad!

As for the weather, the snow has come and not quite gone, who knows how long it will be some days it snows all day, other times in dumps at night, and a few days or maybe one in the past 4 months its been sunny!!! I try to look at the positive side, but when I have to drive in it at 6 in the morning its hard. But here I am in the wee hours of the morning out in my PJ's enjoying the huge white flakes coming down!!



Speaking about weather, John is going down to AZ for a whole week over spring break, and I luckily got a few days off to go down too. I most excited about the sunny days, and I will be leaving buffalo to go lay out by the pool!! Oh, that makes me miss home so bad! But it will be fun spending time with family and friends, its been awhile since John had a break and a vacation so this will be nice!!

Enough about us! I will write more often so you don't have to get so bored reading this!

A nice Valentine's Day

Well, I did have to work on Feb. 14th, but the night was still young when I was done. JOhn and I enjoyed the company of each other while we had dinner, opened a few gifts, and just relaxed with each other, no studying or any other worries. My mother got me a nice pair of earrings, I wanted some big diamonds, so I got some big fake ones, which are perfect. John got a new white t-shirt, his old one has a nice stain on it (in which he was still wearing).

JOhn gave me an apron, its very cute, and stylish. I can't believe with all the cooking I do, I don't own an apron, my clothes are always getting things on them, but now I can have some protection.

I got John a light jacket, I tell him it is not for this weather now, but more for the spring and fall, when all you need is a light jacket. It's an off white quicksilver jacket.

And for both of us, I finally got around to finishing a wedding picture book, its a hard coffee table book. And we love it! It' s great, it has our engagement pictures, our whole wedding day, and honeymoon. It will be great to keep, and to share those memories with each other!!




Anyways, you are probably sick of hearing of all this mushy love stuff, so I will write later. Oh, by the way, sorry I don't have any pictures of John's gifts, that is kinda selfish of me. . . .

So what's new!

Well, I have been working quite a bit. Well, I still have 4 days off, but it feels like I do. But I am loving it a lot, the days go by so fast, running around like crazy and learning so much.
When JOhn is busy studying, what am I doing. . . well, I have done a few crafts. One a lamp shade. well, I did not make the lamp shade, but I put the little jewels on the bottom of the shade to add a little something to the lamp!

Also I did some onesie making. I dyed the white onesie tan color, and then hand stitched the letters, stars etc. on the front. So easy and kinda cute.

(FUN FUN!! Things to do so I can stay inside, safe from the winter of buffalo outside!!)

Time spent in Arizona

John and I spent several days in Arizona last week, celebrating the life of his father John Sr. He past away Sunday January 28th. We were grateful for the time we were able to spend with family and friends in Arizona. There was a beautiful viewing and service for him. We even drove up to Utah for his burial service as well. He will be loved and missed by his family.
John and I with my mother and father at John's fathers viewing.

John and I the morning of the funeral service.

John with his brother, sister and mother.

Funny Pics

I found these funny pics of john and I when we visited Toronto for our Anniversary, and I can't believe I didn't share them so here is a peek.
The best looking peter pan I have ever seen!

Tinkerbell or Not?

It's scary what a cute fairy he makes! Ha Ha.

I know, not a very impressive Captian Hook.

Girls day and date night

Well, Friday was a nice day off for me. I am loving work, I know it sounds unusual, but I do. I love working with the other nurses and the cute kids. I am so glad with my decision, or more like their decision to be working there. I got my hair cut this morning, don't worry I am not brave enough to do anything daring. So it was just a trim but it still feels so nice to have nice freshly cut hair. And I went to the hair school here, I was very impressed, $10 you can't beat it!

We had a nice girls lunch today at Missy's house. Kristen and I went together, Erica, bethany, Alanna, Stephanie and Rachel were there too! Along, with 4 young babies, three more that will soon be expecting. I am out of the loop up here with no baby!! But it's fun to play with all of my friends, all are so cute!! We had fun chatting and eating soup, salad, cornbread, etc. It is fun to get together and play with us girls!!

Tonight my wonderful husband took me out. We celebrated my first pay check!! I know, the first one in way too long!! It will definately be nice to have a constant flow of money! Maybe we can start saving, imagine that. . . But we went out to one of my favorite restaurants, The Cheesecake Factory, after only an 1 hour and 20 minutes ( not bad), we enjoyed our lovely meal, cheesecake and our time we got to spend together.
Posing with my first check!


I am starting to get used to the daily scraping of the snow ritual, each morning and throughout the day. Sometimes it;s pretty to look outside and see big white flakes falling, but don't worry there are cons too. A shout out to AZ, with the snow, like a record since the 60's or something!!

Okay, so I can Brag!!

First of all, I would like to brag about my wonderful husband, he has started his second semester of dental school and he continues to work hard. after one semester of Long nights studying, loss of sleep, and crazy cramming for tests, all of that, his hard work has paid off. Last semester he recieved great grades. His GPA, was like a 3.5 something, and that makes his class rank 11th. Out of 85! Not bad at all. I am so proud of him. Anyway, moving on to other stuff.. . .

My first two weeks of work are complete and I am enjoying myself. The patients are so great, and the staff is even better which makes me excited to work because the people I will work with are so nice.

Friday night was the dental school talent show. John and his friends should have done something, a dance or song, or something funny. It was enjoyable to see all the many talents!! Speaking of talents, I need to start thinking of some to develop, so I can keep busy when JOhn is studying and I am done with work. ( actually I will probably be busy with other stuff, but it was a good thought!)

Saturday morning came and went quickly as John and I enjoyed our sleep until late in the morning. That night, Our dear friend Jay cooked us some amazing homemade pizza. It was fun getting together with Jay and his wife sarah, Kristen and Aaron (baby chase too) and us to enjoy pizza, and our new game Imagine If.

And lastly how could I forget about the cold weather we have had here. Freezing temps, like single digits, and snowy, and windy and icy, its crazy. How, I dream of the beach, and the sun. So does anyone want to come visit!?! Ha ha.

( Not a real picture of buffalo, dont worry!)