family reunion

We went to a family reunion for Jantz's mom's family a couple weekends ago. We drove to Montrose with Jade and John and stayed in a trailer with them and Brooke and her kids. We spent the weekend hanging out with family and playing cornhole (his mom's family is very serious about their cornhole games - there were several tournaments). Saturday we went with Jantz's dad up to Black Canyon (think Grand Canyon, but smaller). It was amazing. Here are some pictures from our fun weekend :)

J

July 20

I guess I've been sort of MIA from the blogging world. 

The week after July 20 was pretty rough out here. Friday morning we woke up to hear about the horrible shooting at an Aurora movie theater only 20 minutes from our apartment. Even though we didn't know anyone who was there, it hit us a little harder than I think we thought it would. It's not easy putting feelings into words. It's just shocking. I think we're both still a little shocked by it. We drove by the theater that week. it was unsettling. being so close to where it happened and being able to imagine all that happened. It's been a little too much to swallow. Honestly I just couldn't stop thinking about the families that lost sons, daughters, husbands, wives. what if Jantz had been there? No one deserves to go through the death of someone that close to them. If my husband died, I would literally be lost. especially if it was in such a ruthless manner. how do you process that and get through it? I hope and pray that I never have to go through that. It's disgusting what happened and it's hard to think that we may never know why it happened. How does someone with so much education, so much potential, do something like that? Slowly but surely I think everyone here is getting through things, but even almost a month later, it still isn't any easier to think about.

camping

The last weekend in June we went camping with Brooke & Daryl and Larke & Luis (courtesy of Larke's planning :). I can't even tell you where we went, because I still have 0 sense of direction here, but it was way way way up in the mountains. We left Saturday morning and came home late Sunday morning. One night was the perfect length. We each brought a meal to prepare - we did sandwiches for lunch, Larke and Luis did hamburgers for dinner, and Brooke and Daryl did pancakes/bacon/eggs for breakfast (love breakfast food.) and spent the day/night playing "Rate your Mate" and talking. I was a little terrified once we got into the mountains (what if a bear ate us?!) but it turned out to be really fun and just the perfect getaway I needed.

Campfires weren't allowed (as per the devastating fires all over out here), but we still ended up sitting around the fire pit haha. To make us feel less silly we put a lantern in the middle of us after it got dark.

Can you guess which tent belongs to who? Ours is the front left, Larke and Luis' is the brand new one in the back. And the huge sophisticated tent on the right is Brooke and Daryl's haha. It was pretty awesome. Surprisingly it was really hot in our tents during the night. I was expecting to be freezing (because when was girls camp ever not freezing??) so I loved it.

Larke and Luis

Brooke and Daryl

and us :)

wedding, a cabin, rockies game, and gloriana

We made it safely to Colorado and settled into Jantz's parents house - they have been AMAZING to let us stay with them for 6 weeks until we get into our apartment (which we'll now be moving into next week! woot!). It has actually been a lot of fun!

The weekend after we got here, Jade got married. Somehow we didn't get any pictures from that (and I don't think I posted any of Larke's)...but it was beautiful. We are so happy for Jade and John! Now everyone in Jantz's family is married. Crazy what a difference a year makes haha. We've loved doing fun couples/siblings stuff together :)

While the newlyweds were on their honeymoon, we had a whole week of family fun...

We went to a cabin way out in the mountains...and we clearly looked our best while we were there :)

Jantz taught me how to hold an ax....and I learned real well haha. not.

my husband is super manly and of course knows how to hold and use an ax. He was chopping up wood everywhere.

Jantz had way too much fun on this thing. I of course was scared to death every second haha. One of the funnest parts of the cabin was staying up way too late playing Smart Ass. Jantz's mom totally killed us. We loved it so much we got it for my dad's birthday/father's day :) because, let's face it, if my dad is anything, it's a Smart Ass. haha

Before a trek into Breckenridge we stopped by a lake and skipped rocks. The boys were pretty dang good at it. I could only get a few skips...so I took our picture instead.

THEN, we went to a Rockies game. Ok, I promise that we were with his whole family (minus Jade and John) through all of this, even though it looks like it was just us two. I mean, who do you think took this picture?

I honestly don't remember who won, but we always love a Rockies game.

Then there was Parker Days. The parade in the morning was fun as per usual. Especially because they actually gave the adults (ie, us) candy! (which almost never happens). We walked around for a bit afterward. Once night hit, we all went to see Gloriana in concert. for free. outside. It was seriously so fun.

We only knew one of their songs (Kissed You Good Night - which they played on the Bachelorette). They were really good live!

more moving pictures

our first apartment together :) we're going to miss it.

 

Doesn't my husband look so intellectual?

 

We took turns looking awkward in front of the truck...

my fave. haha

Moving

I can barely believe that it has been over a month since I last posted any updates (aside from Father's Day :). That means zero updating of all that has been going on over here - which is a lot! I'm gonna try my best to recap.

After 11 days apart (never again), the day finally came to fly home to my much-missed husband. I got to the airport and made the great choice/mistake not to check my flight until after I took the train to my gate. Yep, flight cancelled. Heart dropped. I had to go to the far end of the airport to get to my gate only to turn around and go to the other end only to wait in a huge line with angry people (me being one of them). That flight was the only one for 24 hours that went to Provo, and the flight helper people kept saying that all flights with all airlines to Salt Lake that day were full. I know I wasn't in a real emergency, but at the time it was complete devastation - I had to get home! I missed Jantz! And we were moving that weekend. Long story short, the sweetheart of an old man who helped me somehow by some miracle found a flight for me that left within half an hour. Needless to say, my day - heck my whole week - was so made, and I was SO grateful. I ran to another end of the airport for my new flight. Even though it took an extra hour to get home, it was worth every minute. We were so very excited to see each other.

The next day, Saturday, we went to get the moving truck and a bunch of our friends and my parents came over to help us load up all of our belongings. It only took a couple hours, and everyone was SUCH a help. It started raining just as we put the last thing in the truck. But the fun was only just beginning. We were planning on towing my car behind the moving truck (Jantz drove the truck and I drove his car), but we didn't realize that there was a difference in towing trailers for AWD and 2WD - mine was AWD, and the tow thing we got was for 2WD. And we did not want to pay a couple hundred dollars to get the right one, and my car is pretty old anyway and we wanted to get a new one soon. So.....we made the tough decision to leave my car in Utah (with my gracious parents) and try to sell it. It was pretty sad having to let it go; it got me through my entire college career. Once we got everything decided, my mom took us out to lunch at CPK (we love their BBQ chicken pizza. yum). Then we headed out to Lehi to meet my dad, stepmom and siblings for dinner at Texas Roadhouse  After saying goodbye to all of my amazing parents, we went home to sleep in our apartment one last time.

Morning came and we finished packing up the moving truck. After a surprise goodbye visit from my dad and stepmom (he couldn't let us go without making sure everything was packed correctly haha), we were on our way to Colorado!

Happy Dad's day

Wow has it really been a month since my last post??? Funnily enough, my excuse is that we have been super busy (even though neither of us have jobs right now haha). But I do have some fun updates that I'll get to soon.

While today is Father's Day, it also so happens to be my dad's birthday. Sadly I've missed several of his birthdays over the years, but missing this one has definitely been the hardest. It's slowly sinking in that I don't live by my family anymore.

He has been such a huge help and support with the move and with job interviews and just with life in general. Even though life wasn't peaches with divorced parents, he always made the best of things and I have some pretty great memories with my dad (like eating twinkies and baby ruths, and playing games with him on his bed all growing up). I feel blessed to have had such a loving dad :)

picture dump

Quick update of our lives (for those who are curious): We went to Larke's wedding over the weekend! It was so fun and the wedding went great! She looked gorgeous and I am seriously SO happy for her and her new husband! That's the good stuff :) The sad-ish stuff is that I am currently in Colorado until the 25th looking for jobs (yes, it's just as fun as it sounds...except for being with my amazing in-laws - that part really is fun) and Jantz is in Utah finishing up his job. We are both super bummed to be apart! When I get back next weekend we'll be packing up all our belongings and officially moving to Colorado :) so wish us lots of luck :) 

........and now onto some pictures............

I was looking through our pictures last week and found these few gems. Somehow they got overlooked, which is a shame, because some of them (i.e. Jantz and his dad as leprechauns) are just too great not to look at.

When we were in CO in February, Jantz's dad took us to a authentic Danish bakery. And if any of you know my love of European pastries (and cheese, yum), then you know that I loooved this place. It was so cute and everything we got was so good! Can't wait to make weekly trips once we live here.

It's called "Taste of Denmark". If you're in the area, you have to go. have to.

Jantz and his dad all ready for St. Patrick's Day. In the middle of Hobby Lobby. With boas and everything. Sorry but I seriously love this picture. Two peas in a pod.

isn't he just too cute? haha

Jantz's (and mine now I guess haha) nephew. He is literally the cutest little boy I have ever seen. His smile is just too adorable.

And here's us at the new City Creek Center in Salt Lake next to the waterfall :)

my last day at work & possibly my last week in Utah

My last day at work is today. which means that it is also my last day at "school", and on campus. For the past four years I've come to campus to go to work. It has been the best job to have while I was in school. I couldn't have asked for better bosses or coworkers. We've had some pretty great times.

It's going to be so weird turning my computer off for the last time. And having to take all of my things home. so weird. I'm not going to be back here for work ever again. Or for school ever again. I've spent the most of almost every day on this campus since I started college in 2005. It's going to be surreal not to be walking around these buildings anymore.

But at the same time...I'm excited to start a new "chapter". Gosh that sounds cliche haha. But really, as scary as it is having to leave a place I've become so accustom to, I'm looking forward to new things.

We're leaving for Colorado on Wednesday (for one of my best friend/sister-in-law's wedding - soo very excited for her!), and I probably won't be back until the end of the month, and even then it will only be for a few days to pack up and drive back to our new "home" in Colorado. Not what the plan was a few days ago, but that's just how things go sometimes right? I'm going to stay in Colorado to interview for jobs and hopefully get one(!), while Jantz stays in Utah to work until the end of the month - not sure how being apart is going to work out (major sad face).

I thought I would have longer to say goodbye - to my friends, family, and the city I grew up in. But maybe it's good. I don't have to "prepare" for sad goodbyes, I just have to have them. I'm terrible at prolonged goodbyes, I get way too emotional and nostalgic. I think maybe it will be for the best to just rip the bandaid off. I just hope I get to see most (if not all) of you guys before I leave :)

all done.

Getting everything with my thesis "officially" complete turned into quite a nightmare. The process, which I thought would take a couple of months to complete, was crammed into 7 days (really 5, but who's keeping track). Needless to say, I'm all done :)

You're probably dying to hear the whole story - and I certainly don't want to forget the pain I went through - so I'll tell you (but trust me, I won't blame you if you stop reading now).

Now, I was told this whole semester, and even after my defense (which was on the 9th), that as long as I defended my thesis before the end of the semester that I would not have to pay tuition during the summer.

But THEN, I got an email Thursday (the 12th) afternoon saying that, actually, in order to not have to pay tuition I had to get everything completed - which meant making all my changes suggested by my committee, getting it approved by my advisor, getting it approved by the department and dean, getting an electronic copy approved by the department and dean, and finally turning in papers to Graduate Studies. (See how I thought this would take a while???). So you can imagine how excited I was to hear that I actually had one week to get all of this done, otherwise I would have to pay over $600, for nothing.

Considering I had yet to look at/change my thesis at all since my defense, I hurried home and spent all night and some of the morning making changes (thankfully, and by some miracle, I had very manageable changes to make). I sent it to my advisor on Friday, and by Monday morning we had a perfect version (because my advisor is amazing like that. really though, talk about miracles. she is one).

I seriously was running around campus all day on Monday. I thought that my advisor had my forms, so I waited to hear from her so I could get them. But of course, she had already given the forms to the department office (meaning I didn't need to find her in the first place haha). So I ran over to that office with my paper. But guess what, there was a signature missing, and nothing could be done until it was there. So i had to wait a while to get in touch with that teacher. And once I did, she was only going to be on campus for 20 minutes. So I ran (literally) to her office, got her signature, and ran again over to the department office. Then I went to work and waited (not so patiently).

I heard Tuesday morning while I was at work that the hard copy of my thesis had been approved and was ready to be submitted as an electronic version - and this version had to be all fixed up so that everything had bookmarks and links; it was complicated. Thankfully I had already prepared my electronic version over the weekend (with a prayer that I wouldn't have to change anything - and I didn't, woot). So I submitted it right away.

On 4:30 on Tuesday they emailed me that my electronic version was approved. Now I just had to get my forms from the department office and take them to the Graduate Studies office. This would be super easy if everywhere on campus didn't close at 5 (and sometimes earlier). I rushed to the department office and had to wait (as always) for several minutes - just for a form! By the time I got my forms, it was 4:50 - and the Grad Studies office is literally on the other side of campus. There was no way I would make it. So I went home. ha. No big deal because I thought all I had to do was give someone my forms and be done.

Little did I know. Wednesday morning I took over my forms and my title page. Yeah, it was not drop it off and leave. Of course my title page had problems! Which NO ONE caught - and how many people looked at it?? Yeah I was furious. They were the stupidest formatting things (don't bold this, this needs to be lowercase, you need another space here). Oh and the best part? The girl there said it could take a couple of days to "process" after I got it back to them. Yeah, I didn't have a "couple of days". Furious again. Within the hour I had everything fixed - I emailed it over and waited (ok, freaked out to Jantz is more like it. What was I going to do if it did take days?). Luckily (cue another miracle here), later that day I got news that everything was ready again. I took it back over and got all cleared.

I. WAS. DONE.


It's been almost a week and I still can't believe it. Come June, I will officially have my Master's degree. Good job me :) haha.

Our Wedding: the luncheon

After all the picture taking, Jantz and I had to rush over to Johnny Carinos for our luncheon (we stayed behind everyone else to finish taking pictures). It was so surreal getting into our car for the first time, being married. And driving around town in a wedding dress sure is exciting, especially walking into a restaurant haha.

Anyway, once everyone was settled in, our parents each said a few words (filled with lots of tears ;) 

Then Jantz and I said some things. It was sweet.

Then we dug in and ate lunch. It was delish.

After the food came costco cake. 

Not only cheap but soo good . . . in fact I want some now haha.

Here's some more shots from lunch :)

After we were done, Jantz, Jacob (one of his groomsmen), and I had to pick up our cake. Talk about awkward sitting in the car as the boys went in to get it. Haha. Then we rushed home to get ready for the reception.

probably the best news ever! (well except for getting married - that was pretty great)

I defended my thesis! And it was a success!

That's right people, I am 90% finished with my master's degree. The hardest part is over and the end is in sight!

I was super nervous and I was asked some scary questions - they were expected, but that didn't make them easier to answer. But overall, I was proud of myself for my responses and for (hopefully) sounding like I knew what I was talking about.

My wonderful parents came, along with Jantz and a friend from my program, to watch. I seriously was so grateful to have so much support - it made me a lot calmer (although once the questions started, I didn't notice anyone in the room except for my committee). 

I thought after it was over that I would be less busy, but that has just not been the case. I still have corrections to make and lots of papers to grade. But not having to worry about defending has certainly relieved a lot of stress. It's just a relief to know that all the hard work really has paid off.

Just wanted to share :)

cotton candy

I was looking through some of our Disneyland pictures, and I'm so glad I did because I almost forgot about Jantz's first experience eating cotton candy. We were in California Adventure by a big hot dog place. I begged Jantz to buy me some cotton candy, and he obliged (because he loves me like that). We were all sitting at a table next to this big hot dog place, some of the fam eating hot dogs, others turkey legs, and others corn on the cob. We just had our cotton candy haha. It was so funny watching Jantz take his first bite. I took a whole series of pictures to capture the moment, but this one is by far one of the best:

He looks so worried. haha. I don't think he hated it because he ate more...but he wasn't too fond of the stickiness and the "dissolving in your mouth" feeling. So precious, and so funny to watch haha.

Other than looking through pictures, there isn't much else to report. I've been grading papers, looking for jobs, and preparing for my thesis defense. Jantz has been working, getting in the occasional game of fifa, looking for potential apartments, and of course making me laugh all the time.