It's a Merry Merry Christmas

Besides the obvious meaning behind Christmas, Chris and I haven't really taken to the retail side of the holiday. Over the last few months we have really tried to focus more on the important things in life and their meanings. I guess that's why Christmas shopping seemed to just sneak by us this year.
Our first Christmas when we had just gotten married was the only Christmas we really got each other any gifts. We went all out and got each other a bounty of presents. Since then, things have really sizzled out. Mostly due to the fact we weren't much in a situation to do a big Christmas but this year has been the strangest by far. We didn't really talk much about it and we just had some kind of silent agreement there would be no present giving to each other this year, which made things kind of interesting.
The Egbert's (Chris' family) always rotate names in the family and my family just recently started drawing names. Both families decided to do only home made gifts this year which made it kind of fun seeing we had to get a little creative with our gift giving. We enjoyed making the gifts for our families and it was a different feeling this year for Christmas.

Although we decided not to get each other anything- our parents and Santa (my mom insists) did get us some great gifts this year. Dianne- Chris' mom- painted us a beautiful painting that I am so excited to hang up, we also received books and handmade jewelry which I am always happy to receive.
Among that we also got great gifts from Santa- Chris got a Kindle which I was so excited for him (mostly so I don't have to spend an hour wandering around the bookstore pretending not to be bored) I've hardly seen him set it down since he ripped the package open almost immediately after unwrapping it.

I got a new digital camera which is great because now I can post pictures again!

We also got gift cards so we can both go get new work clothes and many other wonderful gifts!
Even the dogs got gifts from Santa- Zira got a new bed which hasn't even been destroyed yet by Nico (give it time) and they got bags of new toys which we hoped wouldnt be immediately mamed but... as Nico can prove time and time again, nothing is too strong to withstand the determination of a dog....

Thanks Santa for all our excellent gifts we feel so blessed to always have more than we really need!

"Family" Pictures

For Christmas this year Chris and I decided to give out new pictures of us to our parents and grandparents. Because of things being a little tight this year we were instructed by both of our families to do home made presents this year. So with the help of Chris' sister Lisa we bared the freezing cold (sometimes without even a coat) and went and got our pictures taken. I'm so happy that we were able to get it done and that we even got quite a few good ones in the process. We don't really have many pictures of ourselves besides our wedding pictures almost 3 and 1/2 years ago, and since we catalog time around here on what color my hair is, and the most recent pictures we have together my hair is jet black and long- I'd said we are quite behind!

New Moon

It seems as though I am quite behind on my blogging.....

About a month ago I helped host with my sister in law Stephanie our Bunco group at my house. Bunco night last month happen to fall on the same night that New Moon came out so we decided to do a Twilight/New Moon theme Bunco night. I spent all day decorating the house, making food, Steph made all the prizes, we made gift bags for everyone- it ended up being alot of work but SO worth it! It was such a blast, as Bunco always is. After we played we went to the movie together too, it was tons of fun!

Here are some pictures from the night.....

Dilly Deeds

Everyone has been asking to see some updated pictures of the dogs or as we like to call them "The Dilly's"
Noun: Dilly (dill-ee)
A destroyer of anything of value or sentiment. A barker at doorbells, one who may pee uncontrollably when excited. One who licks anything that has any sort of smell (preference- scented lotion) A Dilly- one who finds that the most comfortable place to sleep is on your chest with feet digging into your bladder. Other defining characteristics may include but are not limited too: having a staring contest with your food while you eat, whining for hours to get on the bed, hunting, gathering and eating any type of paper product, eating articles of clothing whole, hiding under the bed on bath day, chewing on pieces on furniture, ripping up carpet, eating carpet, eating plants, eating weeds, running around the coffee table so many times they leave claw tracks in the carpet, knocking you down to the ground and licking you profusely until you can escape, begging for table scraps, getting in the dishwasher to try and clean the dirty plates, hiding in the closet behind the appropriate matching clothing color so we can't find them, gathering socks and hiding them so we never have clean socks etc, etc.

Verb: to Dilly, to be a Dilly
Pretty much any of the above said characteristics set into motion....

Still think you want a dog??

Oh we love them and now since Nico is at the end of the puppy stages its really not half as bad as it used to be. I am now able to say I'm glad we have them.

The Promotion...

It seems like lately despite our attempt to have good attitudes about our current direction in life, we can't stop attracting bad luck- except last week it seems like something decided to go our way this time. For the past year I have worked for a company called Harmony Home Health and Hospice. After a brief period of unemployment last fall I stumbled into the job. Having no prior experience what so ever in ANY health care field, I definitely questioned my success in the company and my position. Well, long story short it didn't take long before I came to realize that this job made more sense that almost all my other previous jobs including aesthetics jobs which is what I went to school for!
There have been alot of changes recently in the company in preparation for huge growth within the next few years and an opportunity arose for me to become a part of it. I jumped on that opportunity and well, I was determined for nobody to get in my way of getting where I wanted to be. On my one year anniversary with the company two weeks ago they offered me the position I had wanted. I'm very proud of where I have come from a Case Manager Assistant now to Regional Home Care Office Manager and can't wait for what is to come. I start my new position tomorrow and I can't wait, it feels great to work for a company that recognizes people for all their hard work!


Chris even made me a very delicious cake to celebrate the news! It was a delicious 2 layer yellow cake with toasted coconut butter cream frosting. (Impressed? He's become quite the homemaker these days.. sorry honey, it was REALLY good though!)
As you can see he's come a long ways from his attempt three years ago of making me a very similar birthday cake.

As you can see, he's skills have greatly improved...

Laniebration 2009

I'm a little behind on my posts! October I celebrated my birthday, which really ended up being an all month long celebration. Laniebration was a great success and I am so grateful for all of my friends and family that pitched in and really made it happen. Thanks again for all you love and support it turned out to be a great night!

A little Update....

I realized this morning it has been quite sometime since I have posted anything. A really long time.... I guess we've been really busy and there really hasn't been anything exciting to post about. I have been REALLY busy with work. I leave most mornings around 6 and don't get home till after 6. But all in all its going really well and I really love it despite all the longs days...
Chris is still busy with the job hunt, no luck yet!
It's been kind of not great the past few minutes with Chris not working, but I think we've really been able to learn a lot and grow. We've come to realize how unimportant the "things" we used to think were important just don't even matter any more, and how humbling it is to go from everything to just enough. Whatever happens we know now it will all work out in the end!

Nico Blue and the haircuts.....

I felt like I should probably mention Nico too since I posted about Zira. Nico is doing well, she's about 6 or 7 months now we're not really sure. Still have been unsuccessful as to finding out exactly what kind of dog she is.
I'm guessing Zira must have told her about the damage she had caused early in her years, because Nico seems to be trying to quickly race and catch up, so far we've lost no shoes in the battle, but we will probably need to get new carpet down the road, thanks to Nico helping customize designs with the carpet fibers... thanks Nico.....

Nico's second day at home- 12 weeks old

Nico was very interested in the flash on the camera......
Today was Nico's first grooming appointment. I was nervous because I had to take her and Zira somewhere new because the place we used to take Zira would have been so expensive to get both of them groomed. But I found a good little hole in the wall place in American Fork and they did a good job and Zira doesnt even seem to be permanently scarred... which is a big step.

Here is Nico today, we had just gotten home after their grooming appointment. She is getting so big! She is constantly knocking me down when she gets excited.
I have to laugh at the bows they put in their hair, Nico now looks like some kind of rottweiler or something with little yellow bows, I couldn't stop laughing on the way home, I had to leave them in till Chris got home so he could see them because he hates them so much!

Happy Birthday Zira

I can't believe that Zira is three! We have now had Zira for three years. Chris and I got Zira after we had only been married one month, and she was only 6 weeks old.

Despite all the damage and destruction and arguments you've caused over the years, we still manage to find a place in our hearts to always love you.

Another day another tooth...

Poor Nico, I was in the bathroom getting ready and Nico was getting a drink out of the water bowl. I turned around and a tooth had fallen out while she was getting a drink! That's got to be an unpleasant feeling...

Nico and the Tooth

When we got Zira almost 3 years ago she was only 6 weeks old. Zira was my first dog so having a puppy was a whole new experience for me.
We learned a lot those first few months including one thing that never ceased to gross both of us out.... I guess we just never thought of dogs having baby teeth and them falling out and new ones growing in, makes sense though right?
I distinctly remember finding Zira's first baby tooth stuck into my pant legs after Zira had been biting my pants as I walked by. I remember being so grossed out that there was a tooth stuck in my pants! At first I was completely disgusted then about 2 seconds later so worried that Zira's teeth were falling out, I yelled for Chris and he so calmly said it was probably just a baby tooth. I had no idea! For the next few months Zira continued to loose teeth. I'm not talking like one here and there sometimes you would be playing tug of war and the rope toy would suddenly have 2 or 3 teeth stuck in it. It always seemed to gross us out!
Well, we when got Nico we knew to expect the teeth falling out and we both knew we were approaching the time. I was just always kind of hoping that I would never actually find a tooth.
Well, last night while we were making dinner I was walking around setting the table and getting things ready to eat. As I walked around to the table I stepped on something, something REALLY sharp. I jerked my foot up and there stuck in the bottom of my foot was something.. I flicked it off and it slid across the floor. I looked down at it and realized this was not a rock, this was a TOOTH! Needless to say I was extremely grossed out. Chris and I laughed for a minute and realized the stage of losing teeth is officially here.
That was only last night, we haven't found any other teeth and she is still so young that I don't think she has lost many but she already lost another one today! We were talking and both looked over to see Nico biting on Zira and attacking her (nothing unusual) when we realized Zira was covered with blood. Sure enough Nico had lost another tooth and was chewing on Zira and bleeding everywhere! I felt so bad for Zira!
I know losing her baby teeth is pretty much inevitable but if anyone has any ideas of what to do to make it easier let us know!

Easter

We had a good Eastert this year, as usual, we went to Brunch with the Fmaily at Riverside, did the Easter Egg hunt thing, had a big family dinner, etc. It was a nice realaxing day for all of us, and even the dogs got along for one day (well atleast half of one day)

Meet Nico

Nico Blue, as we like to call her is the newest member to join our family. We are told she is now 12 weeks old. We adopted her from a rescue agency about 2 weeks ago as kind of an impulse buy. We were told she was an Australian Shepherd Lab mix, but we know we were lied too. We've had many suspicions as to what she is but we haven't been able to figure it out, but we don't really care. All we know regardless of what she is she is GROWING so fast! She was only a little bit smaller than Zira when we got her, and now she already is bigger! We're so excited to have her now, even though I swore I would never get another puppy, she is learning pretty quick and the "accidents" are starting to be a little bit better. Except for Saturday when in a 6 hour period she peed on the rug, the tile, the carpet, HER bed and the backseat of my car..... (thank goodness we just bought that carpet cleaner!)

Zira is handling her "little sister" better than expected although she is definitely not as happy as we are that she's around.

She looked like such a sweet mellow little puppy, that's what drove us to getting her. A few days after we got her we discovered she had kennel cough, she was so sick! We got her on antibiotics and she perked up within a few days.

I miss those first days of quiet....

Killing America... one slice at a time!

Any of you that have been to the Trolley in Springville, I'm sure have seen the massive slices of carrot cake that they always have on display. Well the carrot cake is definately a favorite in our house and everytime any of us go to Springville we always pick up a slice to share (you could easily feed 3 with one slice) So for valentines day my dad decided to buy a WHOLE cake for my mom. $50 and this is what you too can get.... (yes that is ONE serving!)
That is after we had eaten 8 servings! Can you imagine if you ate a WHOLE slice?

My favorite things this week....

1. My new phone the G1. I'd been dying to get a new phone and thanks to my brother who had some gentle persuasion convinced me to get the google phone. I AM SO GLAD! It's pretty much the best thing ever, I can't stop playing with it. Its got so many col applications mostly just absolutely ridiculous ones like games, the weather channel, an etch a sketch.... Mostly things will distract me from getting anything done... ever....

2. My new purse I got for 75% off at Nordstrom, YES! Best day ever! (well asleast this week) My new phone fits in it quite nicely :)

3. Grapes- for some reason I cannot get enough red grapes to satisfy my craving. Me and Chris have been sick lately and all that sounds good is fruit and we have seriously eaten so much it could be considered unhealthy!

4. Cinnamon Candy- I love Valentines day for the simple reason of Cinnamon candy lips. A lady that I work with has a bowl sitting on her desk with all sorts of cinnamon candy, its so bad for me! Every time I walk by, which is quite frequently since its on the way to most things I need to do in my day, it starts with one, then when I walk by again, two, by the end of the day she has to fill up the bowl because they are gone!

Well thats me this week and the things that have "changed" my life! :)

Our House! Finally!

Well the past two months have gone by fast! Christmas and new years have just flown by not to mention moving. I'm sorry it has taken so long, its so crazy how time flies! I finally have some pictures to post of our new house. It still needs a few touchups and things put away but so far we are loving it!

Here is our masterbathroom
The best part about it, we don't ever have a shower door yet! So we have to use the shower in the other bathroom, and its getting kind of annoying....
Here is our bedroom, I'm thinkin I probably should have made the bed....
This is our lovely little office with the printer on the floor, Zira loves the paper
This is the entry when you first walk in the house, Chris was dancing it up in the background

This is the powder room downstairs, we need to get a bigger mirror, it looks tiny!
Here is the living room no furniture yet, just the way Zira likes it, lets just say this is Zira's favorite room! And yes, that is a potty pad... enough said
This is our family room not much furniture yet, we hope we can get some this year!
Here is our kitchen
And the dogs running very excitedly to me to see what I was doing...

I didn't take pictures of everything because most the rooms are just, well just that rooms with nothing in them.

We're so happy to finally be in our house and can't thank everyone for all their help to get us here! We have such wonderful families and friends who spent many hours helping clean, getting things finished up and letting the 3 of us crash the bachelor pad for 7 months while we finished things up (thanks keith :) ) We're so so grateful that we've finally made it after almost 2 years,!