photo shoot.

Over Thanksgiving Break, Dave and I were able to have some pictures taken by our sweet friend Ali. She is the best and most beautiful girl ever and is completely brilliant at what she does. She took these to build up her photography portfolio. She was so sweet and took so many for us. WE LOVE THEM. Here are a few...

november

November has been good to us. So many wonderful things fill our lives and here are a few:

1. Dave had his first dental school interview! He flew to Mesa, Arizona down mid November where he spent the day flashing his shiny white smile and saying charismatic things to lots of important people. Luckily he was only gone for a day so I was able to cope. After the interviews, the school divides the applicants into two pools, after interview rejections and still potential candidates. We got a letter this last week telling us Dave was in the potential candidate pool!! We're very excited and hope to hear soon what the verdict is. The wait could potentially be until May however.

2. November 23 was my GOLDEN birthday! It felt like a very important birthday :) Dave had to work that morning so he said he'd have something to "occupy me." I had no idea what could keep me entertained for 4 hours. He woke me up that morning with this...

IT WAS AWESOME! No, it's not ours to keep. It's actually our friends little dog, Jake. Since we can't actually get one of our own (yet), we had a dog for a day! He was the funniest, cutest little thing who loves to play fetch, chase his tail and chase a laser pointer. He is seriously the most dog-like dog ever. Miriam and Nathan got in to town later that day and we all went to dinner that night. Dave makes me a fancy and delicious cake every year (he came up with that idea himself) and this year it looked like this:

It's a pumpkin, caramel and cream cheese cake. YUM.

3. Miriam and Nathan (my little brother and sister) came for Thanksgiving! We are so lucky to have family close enough to visit us for a few days. We had a delicious feast of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, green beans, fruit salad, deviled eggs, pumpkin & apple pie, and coconut cream pie.

We went Black Friday shopping, had a bonfire/hot dog & s'more roast, played games, and went Christmas tree hunting.

4. And lastly, November 27 my newest little nephew James was born!!! My sister Hilary is the brand new mama to an adorable, wrinkle kneed, dark black haired, tiny little baby. We're so excited to meet him.

So yes, it was a good month. A very good month.

the job search.

For the months of September and part of October, I’ve been performing the dreaded job search. You forget how horrible it is until you have to do it again. It’s even more terrible when you reach the elite status of college graduate and you are still fighting kids from high school for a job.

Yes. Welcome to Rexburg. I recently graduated in July with my degree in Communication, Advertising emphasis. After a summer of traveling and visiting family, Dave and I finally landed back in Rexburg for his last two semesters and my “nose-to-the-grindstone” experience. I started applying for jobs that I was hoping to make the most at for the 8 more months we were planning to be here. I had a few interviews but people were mostly concerned that I wouldn’t be here long enough. I was “perfect for the job” and had “just the right personality for it” but someone was going to be here longer than me and they got the jobs instead.

So I decided I couldn’t be picky. I really wanted to stay in Rexburg because I was pretty sure I couldn’t make that much more that it compensated an hour commute + wear and tear on our little car (not to mention it would be winter time). Because the holidays were getting near, we also had to consider Christmas break. We went ahead and bought our tickets because it’s very likely to be the last Christmas with the Dave’s parents for a few years (they’re going on a mission next year). So now I had to find a job that would allow me to have a two week break at Christmas. Not very likely.

Best Bet: Some store with so many employees, they wouldn’t miss a few at the holiday’s + all the students leave so their volume will be down = Broulim’s Grocery

No I was not excited, but I was about willing to take anything at this point. It was only for a few months and I’d get to learn the ins and outs of the grocery biz… So I fought my way to an interview for Noble Roman’s Pizza inside the grocery store!!!!

I dress up so business-like and arrive a few minutes early at my interview. I’m led up to the room where I’ll have my interview and to my surprise, there are already 6 or so others there. Totally 11 people applied for this one position. Really? One pizza job. To make it worse, we did a group interview. Eleven students + grads sitting in a circle with two interviewers at a table with a list of questions they’d printed off the internet. Literally. Verbatim. I just thought, wow. This is going to stink.

And I was right. Everyone got two questions. Amongst the variety of “What kind of car would you be?,” “Describe your worst boss” and “How would your co-workers describe you?” I was the lucky one to answer, “Why are you better than all the other candidates?” Of course I got that one. Not only is that the worse question ever, but to answer it in front of everyone has got to be at least top five of the most awkward situations ever.

I honestly don’t remember a lot of what I said. I was mostly in shock the whole time that I was actually there begging a grocery store to let me make pizzas.

To top it off I didn’t even get the job! My brother in-law assures me it’s because I’m too qualified and they’re afraid I’ll quit as soon as I find another job. I believe him J

After a little more searching, I found a job as a substitute teacher with the local school district. Best part is I will have holiday’s off! That is what I’ve been doing for the last few weeks now and I’m actually really enjoying it. It’s comparable to babysitting or being an aunt. You have fun with the kids for a little bit and then turn them back over when you’re done. I always come home with a few great stories… look for a few soon!

crafting...

These last few months I've learned SO much! Thanks to a few wonderful classes before I graduated and my love of recycling/re-storing things to their original beauty, I have been able to make some things that I'm sort of proud of...

Made this tablecloth with a reverse stripe border...

and with the extra fabric, I made a couple pillow covers (with an invisible zipper!).

I made the pillow and the pillow cover for this bolster. Now it matches our duvet cover!

My pride and joy is this quilt! It took me a good few weeks of long hours and deadlines but I did it and I'm so excited to use it this winter! (I know... haven't used it?! But it's a winter thing!)

I also learned how to make these fun books! I love this new skill and who knows? You might just get one for a present!

Lastly, this lamp I bought at D.I. was pretty but a little plain...

So I spiced it up to my (apparently) new favorite color! Everything turns out something blue.

And I antiqued it with a little glaze.

I love my crafts.

Can summer be TOO much fun?!

Um, NO it cannot! We've had SOO much fun this summer it's been kind of unbelievable. We've been so lucky to have a summer (starting in August) where we were able to just visit family and explore the beauties all over! There are so many pictures from our trip. Four weeks of traveling such turns out tons of pictures so here are a few. Enjoy just a few!

First week: 1st Richard James Family Reunion - Brian Head, UT
The sweet Ringer family (my brother-in-law fam) let use have our reunion at their beautiful cabin. It was perfect weather and we had the BEST time!

Here's my sweet Dad teaching the grandkids how to live off the land!
Dave was the fish-catching KING! He had to stop so there would be some in the pond.

We caught some awesome fish!

and the fish fry was delicious...

My mom and dad are THE BEST!

There were these awesome black powder rifles we got to shoot.

four wheeling with my man.

paintballing! I got a bee sting after this game. Foot swelled up so bad. Couldn't walk for 3 days. Just the most painful thing ever.

Lots of the grandkids with the newest one to be!

Dave discovering a beautiful overlook.

It was stunning...

Week 2: Huntington, IN - We went to visit Dave's family! We spent a few days at the lake, visiting an Amish farmer's market, visiting family and just having a blast.

We visited Shipshewana, this incredible Amish community. Got some very authentic homemade icecream. There were some really fun shops and the HUGE flea market we visited.

We visited Grandma Knecht at the beauty shop she works at. The cutest, most classic little place you've ever been. I wanted her to cut my hair so it was so fashionable!

One of a few BBQ's. The kids were the best!

Week 3: Seattle, WA - We visited my sister Melynie and her cutie family. We love this time of year because all these delicious berries are in season, peaches, farmers markets and perfect weather!

blackberry picking

We saw the kids off to their first day of school! One got lost, Mom was...well a little sad. Still so fun to see them off!

Dave bought me the most beautiful flowers for $5 at a market! I'm so in love with that boy!

Week 4: Albany, OR - We went to visit Dave's brother Matthew in Oregon! Their family was so sweet and took us with them on their Labor Day hike!

Lucky is the coolest dog ever. He jumps so high just to catch water and he'll fetch with you all.day.long.

We went to visit the coast and I'm so in love now!!

Famous clam chowder at Mo's.

Star fish were all over! It was amazing! We threw a few back in to the ocean.

then did we really see seals?! It was amazing! Dave: "We're like National Geographic close!"

We stopped by the Dahlia Festival! It was just fields of the most beautiful, perfect flowers I've ever seen. I wanted to pick one of everything!

On our way home, we took the scenic highway. It only added.... 2 hours to go 30 miles?! There were tons of waterfalls so of course we had to hike up to them. Dave was loving it so much.

So now you've seen where we've been for the last 4 weeks. It's been such a wonderful adventure. WE LOVE VACATION!