Good and Graduated

So it turns out there is life after full-time school for 8 straight semesters.  And what a glorious life it is!

 Celebrating with the hubster is the first thing this grad did.  Michael has informed me that he's already put his two weeks in and fully intends on being a stay-at-home kind of fellow now that he has a suga mama.  Nice try sucka!

 Smiling because I'm done stuffing my large head into those impractical hats.

 A trip to Idaho to reunite with some dear old pals was certainly in order.  Three years after High School and we're still kinda loud, but maybe slightly more grown up?

After graduation you can even take the time to pose for a few portraits...

 And stare into your lover's eyes..

and even practice your Dancing with the Stars moves..

 There's always going to be another mountain.  Mine just happend to be literal. 

I gotta tell you that this guy is more than just a pretty face.  He is the rock that holds my sanity together. And I will love him forever for it.  He does have a really nice face though ;)

 

 What graduate doesn't need a little party time?  Grandma Crandall turned 90! She is such a beautiful example to me of endurance, love, intelligence, and womanhood.  So glad we made the trip to St. George to celebrate a wonderful life.  I also got to spend a whole weekend snuggling my niece and nephew. 

This grad decided that long hair is entirely overrated.  And expensive.  And sheds everywhere like a kitty.  So away it went.  Liberation!!!!

The last thing that this grad has been up to is the whole job thingy.  I'm pleased to announce that I have accepted a position as a Respiratory Therapist at a hospital just minutes from our house.  It's a smaller facility so I will be able to work the floors, ICU, and Emergency Room.  I feel VERY INCREDIBLY INDESCRIBABLY blessed.   So very many people helped me reach this point, and I could never thank them enough.  It may take a village to raise a child, but it took multiple large cities to get me through school.  I received a fantastic education and am now eager to begin a career that I love.

We Bought a House

Property virgins no more!!! All the seraching, frustration, and rejected offers were worth finally finding our dream house. We truly feel at home.  We even love the neighbors, the most interesting of which is a crew of peacocks. Buying a house with my very patient husband was such a fun experience, but I don't want to do it again for a long time.

Here's a looksie at our crib:

Cooking instantly becomes easier when you have room for it. Who would have thought! 



This is the sectional of Michael's dreams.  It's perfect for Sunday naps.  Trust me.

                   

Sometimes a girl just needs a pantry.

Backyward view.  Most of the time it's crawling with peacocks, but they were being camera shy.  I also hear that it's mating season.  Please excuse their absence.  

 We were really particular about the master bathroom.  We know where our priorities are.  The his and her sinks helped this one to pass the test.

 Double shower-head.  Awwww yeahhhh.

 Master

 Guest bathroom.

Guest bedroom formerly used as a baby room.  Hope our guests like blue!

 mmmmmm...fireplace.

 Dining area.

Doing dishes is definately more pleasant when you have $2 Weber State plants to stare at.

Our first home warming gift!  Some of my ambassador friends got him for us. His name is szechuan.  Yup, I named him after the Chinese takeout I was eating that night.  Don't worry, I won't eat him though.

 The basement has one little nook that's finished.  We're hoping this will lure our friends with kids to come visit us. Or at least our friends that act like kids :)

Someday this room will rock



Home sweet home.

Now who wants to come help paint?

What made me smile this week...

Yup, I'm still drooling over my niece and nephew. 

Join me?

Daphne Emma Crandall (who sometimes like to dress up like the Princess and the Pea) is truly a precious daughter of God.  I am slightly concerned that she's going to be a rebel though.  I specifically told her that she couldn't be born while we were in Cabo and she disobeyed. I couldn't stay mad at her chubby cheeks for long though.  Such a softie.

Boston is growing like a strong healthy weed!  His inquisitive eyes are a wonder to behold.  Look out for him in the NFL.  This kid's got what it takes.

And looky here, it's our house! We seal the deal on this sucker this coming Thursday. We love it, and can't wait to make it the Crandall abode.  I'm a wuss when it comes to change though, and leaving our cozy apartment in the heart of downtown Ogden is going to be an adjustment.  Our new house is in Clearfield (about 25-30 mins from Salt Lake) and we are thrilled to have a guest room for visitors, hint hint. 

 

Pocket Full of Sunshine

ahhhhh...sunshine. I love you.  You too Cabo San Lucas.  Last year when the O'Neals aked us if we would be interested in going on cruise to Cabo we didn't have to think twice.   This place is incredible. 



 Outside our Hotel in Sand Diego was a nice chunk of Ocean.

 Words can't describe how much we loved these cruise ship gems.  We even spent one night sleeping in one so we could fully appreciate the ocean breeze.

We're on a boat, we're on a boat!!

 Check it out, my ability to remember random songs and facts is paying off

 Lovely ladies

 Macho men.

 Hungry couple.

 First day in Cabo and loving every UV ray!

This guy could spend all day exploring the rock formations on Lover's Beach

 He's convinced we must own a scooter now.  Can't say I'm complaining :)



Grateful for the chance to get away with my sweetheart and gather up a pocket full of sunshine. 

Now excuse me while I go fold 3 loads of laundry ;)

Reflections from Aunt Nat

I was being a bit of a Negative Natalie this week until this...

Being an Aunt is the bees knees and that's the truth.  His name is Boston and he's perfect. 

Wanna know what else is the bees knees?

-I'll have an equally perfect niece born in about a week or two.  Jealous?

-My man's facial hair

-Lemon water and pistachois.  But not together

-Call ahead seating at Olive Garden

-Weber State Basketball
-Jane Eyre

Rocking out at my own pity party wasn't doing me any good.  But counting my blessings, now that can move mountains.

Please always remember to safely remove your jump drive...

This week was a great week of learning.  Here's some nuggets of info that I learned firsthand...

1. NEVER EVER EVER forget to safely eject your USB drive.

2. "Hey baby, how about I take you out to Iggy's for dinner tonight?" Really means, "Hey baby, there's a game on tonight that I REALLY want to watch on the fancy big screen at Iggy's."

3.  Cuddling is best after the alarm goes off.

4. Working in a NICU(Newborn Intensive Care Unit) really means angering infants all day.  Granted it's to help heal them, but it still elicits anger nonetheless.

5. All snowmen should have mustaches.

6. I should become a house builder because apparently no one knows how to correctly arrange a functional floor plan.

7. House hunting may or may not bring out the worst in me

8. The most painful part of a Spinning class is the uncomfy seats and how they abuse my tush; also getting your pant leg stuck in the pedal is frowned upon.

9. Going to church makes me happy.

10.  The power going out at T-Mobile and not being able to ring out sells makes Michael unhappy.

11.  Wintery weekends are wonderful.

Possibilities

My mind has really gone blank in regards to this post, but I think that's appropriate. New year, blank slate, endless possibilities.  That's what has really made an impression on the Mr. and I these last few days; the fact that this year in particular seems to have many unpredicatable possibilites...and we like it that way :) 


Visual recap of our New Year's Eve party people!

2011 was glorious, and sometimes a little painful.  But blessings were abound at every corner.  A few notable highlights of the year that I wish not to forget include..

-Michael's continued hard work and success at managing his T-Mobile store in Salt Lake. 
-Crandall family vacation at Harbor Island in South Carolina. 
-Finding out we're going to be an Aunt and Uncle to a niece and a nephew.
-The search for a house began. And continues...sigh.
-I've truly grown to love the field of respiratory therapy.  I've been able to work with some amazing therapists and patients.
-Church callings that humble us every single day.  Michael as Elders Quorum President and myself as Primary 1st counselor.  I love those kids so much it hurts sometimes, even when they're little stinkers.
-The marriage of my brother, and consequently the road trip to Canada, eh.
-Growth.  We've grown closer to our Savior, each other, our educational goals, and our loved ones.  Okay, and maybe just a little bit of growth in our waistlines, but hey that's what New Year's resolutions are all about, right?

So thankful for the blessings of 2011, and the possibilites of 2012. 

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson