Miller Time!

A lot to be thankful for!

2011-11-26T09:09:00.000-08:00

Dan and I had one of the most relaxed Thanksgivings yet! We didn't end up going home this year since Dan only had Thanksgiving and the Friday after off from doctor duty. He's in his psych rotation right now, which he really hasn't enjoyed too much, but he's learning and that's the point, right!

Anyhow, this year was the first year we didn't travel to see family for Thanksgiving. We both agree that we love our families to pieces, but we're glad we vacationed from vacationing. It's just too much driving in 4 days.

For Thanksgiving this year, we really got pampered. We ended up being invited to two Thanksgiving dinners, which were both very delicious. Conversations were great and we really felt at home away from home.

I have to admit, we had some pretty good turkey this year. One of our friends smoked a turkey, which was very yummy and quite possibly the best flavored turkey next to my mom's fried turkeys. YUM! At our second dinner, we had the most moist turkey we have tasted in a very long time. It was perfect with homemade cranberry sauce! Our taste buds were in heaven!

Since we knew we'd be eating a ton between the two feasts, we started the day off by sleeping in nice and late and then going for a turkey trot around our neighborhood. Dan has become quite the runner! This week he ran 3 miles on the treadmill, with his last mile a 6 minute split! Great job, babe!

--It was 60 degrees on Thanksgiving! We had to pull out the sunglasses it was so bright!--

We kicked off the holiday season by going out for sushi with some of Dan's classmates the Saturday before Thanksgiving! Slowly but surely, I think Dan is beginning to stand watching me eat sushi. He even tried a few California rolls! This was one happy girl!

Dan gave me this super cute hat "just because." So sweet!

So full after dinner.

Remember "no shave November?" Well, Dan's gone and done it again and this time he managed to grow out a beard! He couldn't believe I let him do it! He had to shave it for a interview he had with some Oncology researchers a few weeks ago or else he'd still being growing it out!

Oh, the smell of fall!!!

2011-11-06T17:02:00.000-08:00

Dan and I love fall in Omaha. It is absolutely perfect. The trees turn all shades of red, orange, and yellow. The cool weather is probably our favorite part. Although Omaha has all 4 seasons, the summers and winters seem to be harsh. BUT the transitional seasons, fall and spring, are perfect!

Since Dan and I first started dating in the fall, this time of year is super special to us. When Dan and I were dating I was the FHE mom for my ward. Since my mom had given me a bunch of popcorn when I went of to college, popcorn was often the defaulted treat most Monday nights. To spice things up a bit, one FHE fall night, Dan helped me make microwave caramel corn in a brown paper bag, which was a total hit. Since then, we've found a much better recipe and look forward to making caramel corn each fall!!!!

The first year we moved to Omaha, we started a new traditions of making caramel apples!!!! YUM!!!

On our first date, Dan and I carved pumpkins together with another couple. This year instead of fighting with the mess, we decided to pick out our pumpkins and display them on our step. We hope this way they'll last longer than a few days...and they have!
And what's fall without the perfect homemade wreath?!?!
Can't wait for Thanksgiving!!!!!

"You've Had A Birthday Shout HURRAY!"

2011-10-01T20:54:00.001-07:00

Last year on my birthday, I had to work, so this year I asked for the day off. BUT Dan had OB/GYN clinic until 5pm, so I was solo until then.

I woke up around 8, when my dad called to wish me a happy birthday. It was great to wake up to a call like that. For one, it was my dad & for two he was the first to wish me a happy birthday! We chatted for about 15 minutes until he had to get back to the real world and then I looked out the window & noticed it was raining. Bummer. Now what to do until 5pm?

Naturally, I called my mom, we chatted for about an hour or so and then I decided to go for a run. I got all dressed up in capri running pants and a dark black running shirt.

About 15minutes into my 8 miler, the sun popped out and it was HOT. I was zapped with a mile or 2 left to go. There is one saying about Omaha weather that I now know to be true: "If you don't like the weather, wait a second and it'll change"

So I got sun burned on my birthday. Bummer. (Now that I'm in nursing school, I avoid the sun like the plague. We're practically taught that: skin+sun=cancer)

The rest of the day I read, ran some errands, & baked my birthday cake.

At about 6pm, Dan got home. (Being a med student's wife, I've learned that: If Dan says he'll be home at 5, that really means he'll be home at 7--Dan got off at 6 because he told his Dr. it was my birthday :)

I think it was Father's Day when I first discovered that Dan's family & my family have the exact same tradition for giving birthday gifts: Heavy, heavy hangover! I about passed out when they started singing the song. That pretty much sealed the deal, jk!

Dan's mom gave me some table cloths and hot pads in all different holiday prints!
Thanks, Julie!

She also gave me a cute wall hanging.

My mom gave me this cute skirt, which I wear at least once a week!

Here's the adorable lacy top to match!

And my ultimate favorite, the pencil skirt that also goes great with the matching top!!!
Thanks, mom & dad!

And Dan had Steph send me 2 white wonder tees, aka my clothing staple!
Thanks Steph & Dan!

And here's the birthday outfit!

A couple days before my birthday, we discovered a website filled with free things you can get for your birthday. So we signed up for them. On birthday I got a free Krispy Kream Donut & split it with Dan!

As for dinner, we went to Famous Dave's BBQ, aka the best BBQ ever! My meal was also free!

They let us try all their sauces on homemade potato chips, yum!
Dan's favorite sauce was Dave's original, but I liked them all!

Here's our meal!!! We also got some extra ribs because they were having a special (1/2 off!)

Did I mention my meal was free & so was my surprise dessert, which had a massive firework on it?!?!?!?

We didn't have enough room for the cake I made, but we still invited our friends over and had a great time scarfing down lemon cake anyways!

I guess turning 23 really wasn't as bad as I thought!

Jazz on the Green

2011-10-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

Omaha is an old railroad city, so a lot of it is VERY old and run down. Especially the old "down town" areas. Recently, the city of Omaha has come up with a project to "beautify" Omaha. The initiative is called "O! What a City!"

In an effort to beautify Omaha, mid-town crossing has been built up. In the middle of mid-town, is a beautiful park. During Christmas, the trees are lit up with Christmas light. What a sight! It's so beautiful! In the summer, every Thursday it's filled with beautiful Jazz music.

We decided to check out "Jazz on the Green" with some of our friends, so we packed up a picnic and headed out for a fun night!

It started to sprinkle a bit during our picnic, so we moved under a tree to provide some cover. With the tree, came lots of bugs!

Next time, we'll take a football to throw around.

More bugs!
(By the way, Dave, a med student in Dan's class, LOVES bugs, which is very entertaining)

A guy even played the xylophone. I was impressed!

Speaking of Jazz, one night I came home from work and Dan handed me a coupon for free dinner for two at Jazz, a Louisiana Kitchen!!!! I love Jazz!!

Since my family was stationed in Louisiana for 2 years or so, we all love Cajun food. In fact, my mom taught me how to make jambalaya. YUM! The first time I made jambalaya for Dan, I thought he was going to hate it, but he LOVED it!!!

Anyways, I was first introduced to Jazz in Kansas City at Legends, an outdoor shopping mall. Legends was a really fun place to shop and eat and my parents took Celina, Carson, and I there often since Leavenworth didn't have much to offer by way of shopping & restaurants. Anyways, one day we were shopping, we noticed Jazz tucked in a little corner of the mall. Of course, we had to eat there. The food was delicious! In fact, we ate there for my senior dinner after I graduated.

Little did I know, Omaha has a Jazz, too. Their bread & Cajun butter is the best!

For dinner, I ate Craw fish etouffee with jambalaya!

Dan ate Chicken a la Mar, which is by far the best meal the serve! It's heavenly. Just ask Dan!

All stuffed & Jazzed out. They have a live jazz band playing at night! (You'd think I was advertising Jazz or something?!)

After dinner, we walked around down town & we found these slides. They're a lot of fun especially for grown up kids.

Stuffed Peppers!

2011-10-01T17:57:00.000-07:00

Dan LOVES Mexican food.

I attribute his taste bud cravings for Mexican to his 2 year mission spent in Southern California. Don't get me wrong, Dan loves a good slice of pizza just like everyone else, but if he had to eat tacos and burritos for the rest of his life, he'd be pretty happy! In fact, about a year after Dan and I were married, Dan's parents gave us a 50lb bag of dried pinto beans and a LARGE box of taco, fajita, & enchilada mixes because they knew, first hand, all about Dan's addiction. No joke!
Needless to say, I can make some mean refried beans from scratch. Yup, I've been domesticated!

Here's a taco salad that frequently gets eaten in our home. (When I say frequently, I mean like once or twice a week:)

I also know Dan's itching for some Mexican food when he brings half a dozen green peppers home from the grocery store. Yes. 6. green. peppers. So what's a girl to do with half a dozen green peppers...? Well for one, cut half of them up and freeze them for fajitas in the future. As for the others, I decided we'd better mix it up. But how? Immediately I thought back 2 summers ago when my favorite cousin Elsie Kay told my grandma to "google it" and see when she could come visit her next...lol!!!

So that's what I did. I googled it. And this is what I came up with:

Yummy Stuffed Bell Peppers!

In case you don't know, Dan and my dad have many things in common. In fact, they've got A LOT of things in common. I remember when I was younger, probably from about ages 4-7, I wanted to grow up and marry my dad. That dream pretty much came true in a lot of respects when I married Dan. Among some of the things they have in common is their favorite foods. For instance:

Dan loves ice cream, so does my dad.
Dan loves nuts, so does my dad.
Dan loves popcorn, so does my dad.
Dan loves steak & potatoes, so does my dad.
The list literally goes on, and on, and on.....
....But the one that applies to Dan's craving of Mexican food is:
Their love for chips & salsa.

I remember when my dad would come home from work, pull out a bag of chips, fill a bowl full of salsa, & top it off with some cheese. Dan's no different. He loves chips & salsa so much that we buy the HUGE "All I eat is salsa" bottle from Sam's Club. You know, the 80 something ouncer.

Well, one day we're eating breakfast burritos & Dan goes to get the salsa. He notices the cap on the salsa bottle is kinda bulging. So, of course, he taps on it and....BOOM!!! The kitchen was covered in salsa:

Update: We counted 6 tiny jalapenos on our plant tonight!!!!

What's been keeping me busy when Dan's on call...

2011-08-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer, Dan was looking on Craig's list and came upon a posting giving away free plants to anyone who would pick them up. With our flower box looking like this...

Dan decided he'd go and pick a few plants up in the morning. When I came home from work that day, I came home to this...

I was so happy! I loved my new little flower box even though all the flowers were nearly dead. It was finally filled with flowers and with the box now spray painted it looked a million times better!

But after a little TLC my pretty little flower box looked like this!!!

Still a little sparse, right??
This week my little pretty flowers burst into full bloom!!!!

These dark purple flowers just bloomed yesterday!
A little baby humming bird keeps kissing these little flowers! It's so cute to watch!

I love these white ones! They are SO beautiful!!

The best part about these flowers is the way they smell when you walk past them! They smell so sweet! These flowers are a highlight of my day. I love to weed them and water them everyday!

When Dan picked up the flowers for me, he also got some tomato, bell pepper, and jalapeno plants. They haven't done so well....

This little plant looks great, but it just hasn't grown anything. Major bummer.

Dan thinks I water them too much, so I've cut down on the watering. We'll see if that's what's killing them. Maybe I should move them into more direct sun light? But I don't want them to burn up...Either way, aren't they beautiful to look at?

Lost in Nebraska

2011-08-15T13:07:00.001-07:00

I think I've mentioned before that Dan's the fundraising chair for a free medical clinic in Omaha called the Magis Clinic, which keeps him pretty busy. Well, as the fundraising chair Dan obviously has to set up A LOT of fundraising events to help raise enough money to help run the free clinic.

Dan's in charge of a few very crucial fundraisers for Magis. Among these are two wine tasting events. Since we don't drink, it's quite interesting that Dan's in charge of such events. But really it doesn't matter what event Dan is putting on, he always does a fantastic job and this event was no exception.

Unfortunately, the event had to be held on a Sunday, so after sacrament meeting we headed to Nehawka, NE where the event was to be held. We simply plugged the address to the winery into the GPS and we were off. Dan had to do some setting up before the event started and we were on schedule to pull into the winery an hour before it began, so Dan could do what he needed before everyone showed up.

About 45 minutes to an hour later we knew something was wrong when the GPS announced we had arrived at our destination on the left and we were surrounded by nothing but cornfields. I could see the panic swarm through Dan. If anyone knows Dan, they know he hates being lost. Immediately we got onto our phones making calls to someone who could help us. But everyone was still in church. Finally Dan got a hold of someone. He explained where we were at the best he could and they tried to give us directions. We back tracked for about a half hour and followed the directions we were given to a T but got lost again. Dan spotted someone on the side of the road and stopped to ask for directions (after I insisted). The guy was not helpful at all. So Dan tried to use his phone again, but this time he had no signal. So we guessed the best which way to go. No such luck! We drove until we could literally drive no more because the road was flooded and roped off.

Frustration doesn't even put into perspective the way we felt. It was extremely hot and humid outside and after all this driving we were down to a fourth tank of gas. And now we were late. Dan kept driving and kept trying to get someone on the phone. When he finally got someone on the phone, we got new directions. Directions that worked this time. But we showed up an HOUR late. Yes, a whole HOUR late. Which actually turned out to not even be a big deal, but it was embarrassing nonetheless.

After all the hassle we went through to get there, we surprisingly had a great rest of the day despite the blistering heat!!!

Smiling even after getting lost in Nehwaka, NE aka Nowhere, NE.
The event had live music the entire time. This guy is a fantastic country music singer. He even got his little son to come up and sing with him!!! So cute!

The vineyard was really quite sparse. Nebraska doesn't really have the climate for growing grapes, but people still try. We loved this old truck!!!!

This little shack is actually an outdoor shower you can use if you rent a bungalow for the night.

A little man made pond. So pretty!
I thought the waterfall was gorgeous underneath the bridge. Maybe someday in out yard?!?!

These two little ducks were very entertaining. There were two brown ducks that kept trying to beat up the white ducks. It was hilarious!

We ate brats and listened to some good music!

Lesson learned: Don't rely on the GPS in Nebraska!

Come on Home!

2011-08-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday night we went to the Winter Quarters Musical called "Come Home to Kanesville." The musical was put on at the Kanesville Tabernacle where Brigham Young was set apart as prophet of the church many, many, many years ago.

Dan and I went to the play last year and absolutely LOVED it! It's a story of love and faith amidst a pioneer family's journey West. The musical has me near at tears every time we go. There is a live band playing all the music behind the screen of the play so you can actually see them playing as the actors and actresses are singing. Also, there is a choir behind us who sing along as well. The performers dance up and down the isles too. All of this combined with the lovely story brings the spirit so strongly to my heart. My testimony of the gospel is always strengthened each time we go. I love it!

They always perform the play around pioneer days which is perfect because outside of Utah and Nauvoo no one really celebrates the 24th of July to honor the faithful saints who scarified everything so their posterity would no longer be persecuted for their beliefs.

Needless to say, I'm grateful for those who work so hard to put on the play so others, like myself, can enjoy the message and spirit they bring.

For dessert, I made vanilla cream pie since we were fresh out of banana pudding! Dan LOVED it!
Strawberries are on sale right now for $0.88/lb, so I just had to throw some of those in! I'm thinking I should can some strawberry jam since strawberries are on such a good deal, but I don't know if I dare do it by myself.....

Muddy Buddies!

2011-07-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

Dan is the fundraising officer for a free medical clinic here in Omaha called the Magis Clinic. Dan has meetings every week on Monday night, which obviously conflicts with Family Home Evenings. It's been quite the challenge to get a really good FHE in on Monday nights due to his meetings, but this week we resolved to make it work. Dan and I have also been in work out mode these past few weeks, so we thought we should combine the two. We started the night out at Creighton's medical school gym. We did a really good circuit workout. Dan's circuit was a lot more intense than mine, but I tired to stay up with him and it was so much fun. We tried to keep each station to a minute and really do our best at doing the exercise correctly in order to get the most benefit from it. We did wall sits, planks, crunches, lunges with weights, and so on. Then we topped it off with a good run until Dan's meeting started. I continued to run until the meeting was over which allowed me to run as much as I wanted!! When Dan's meeting was over we drove home and made a yummy FHE treat, muddy buddies aka puppy chow!
After all the puppy chow we ate, it's a pretty good thing we worked out..ooooops!...the two definitely canceled each other out in the "calories in vs. calories out" category. Next, I cut Dan's hair, which I got a little carried away with, but hair grows back, right??! Thank goodness Dan's a good sport :)

Lastly we studied the scriptures together and had a wonderful discussion about our loving Savior. It was a beautiful night!

Farmers Market

2011-07-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

This weekend Dan and I went to the farmers market in Old Town Omaha. It was so much fun! It actually started raining while we were down there, but it felt great! Last year when Dan and I went to the farmers market, we were really impressed at the great produce and prices, but this year we haven't been so impressed. Their prices just weren't very good and the produce seemed to be A LOT smaller than last year. We contribute it to them now taking food stamps, which is great for those with the stamps, but not so good for us who don't. We're hoping that towards the end of summer, more particularly harvest time, our little farmers market will prove it's self again! Nonetheless, we got some pretty alright deals!I got this great homemade salsa recipe from my friends blog and just had to try it! Dan and I LOVE chips and salsa, so this was perfect!

It has tomatoes, cilantro, onion, jalapeno, salt, garlic, and lime!!! Honestly there is no sense in putting down the amounts of every ingredient because really you can make it anyway you like. It's just the combination of ingredients that makes this salsa so yummy! I used too much cilantro in my first batch and decided I didn't like how "over powering" the cilantro was. It seemed like that was all I could taste. So in my next batch I threw out the recipe I was following and went to town making it how we like it! Dan was the official taster-YUM!

I love this machine!!!
'Tis the season for zucchini! It was all over the market! We made a stir fry with them and they were delicious! I was actually really surprised at how much Dan loved them!

Dan and I pretty much think we've figured out the farmers market. We've figured out that the more pricey vendors tend to sit along the outer edged of the market, but as you make your way to the center of the market, you reach the cheaper venders!!

Dan is all business when it comes to these types of things. He likes to get in there and get out. I, on the other hand, love to take my time and putts around at all the booths, even if I don't intend to purchase anything. But mostly I like to sample nearly everything people are handing out! It's all part of the experience for me. Someday though, with a few more of "market outings," I know I'll convert Dan into a market lover too!

Paint it up.

2011-07-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

Dan and I have nearly repainted our entire town home, except for just a few rooms and closets. A few days ago I decided I wanted to finish the job and paint the rest of the house. After finding some great free paint I liked, I decided to delve into the project! I thought I'd better start with the linen closet.

BEFORE

The shelves were covered with yellow and cream plaid wall paper.
Thankfully it wasn't too difficult to take the wall paper off, which is partially why I've kept putting this project off for 2 years.
AFTER!
So much better than the yellow plaid wall paper!

Red, White, & Blue

2011-07-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

The days of summer keep going by so fast! I'm afraid to blink for fear that when I open my eyes it will be August 22nd and my last summer, before "real life" begins, will be over. I've enjoyed slumbering whenever I please and doing whatever I feel like, within reason of course, way too much!

One precious memory I have growing up is of a Fourth of July celebration when my dad stood at attention and sung the army battle song. I remember tears trickled down my mom's face while we all looked at the American flag. It was a beautiful sight. Just thinking about it makes my heart beat faster and my eyes water up. I'll never forget the love my dad has for his country and that makes July 4th, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day really special to me.

The Fourth of July always reminds me of home. Growing up in a military family meant that a large part of the home be decorated in honor to America and all that entails. My home growing up was no exception. Decorations of red, white, and blue weren't hung up during just one month out of the year, but rather they were displayed every-single-day of the year. The reminder of the sacrifices it takes to live a life free from oppression were constant growing up--particularly when seeing my dad in his uniform...

Here are a few decorations I put around the house to make it feel a little more festive. I love this little wall hanging my mom made for me.
May I just add, my mom is the most talented women I know! She can do everything from cooking and sewing to jewelry making and basket weaving...did I mention she mats and frames her own pictures, too???? The list just goes on and on and on... But really, isn't this a great door decoration!!
On the left are the Polish Pottery Americana homes my mom gave me. Quite ironic, Polish Pottery and America mixed into one...haha! In the middle is an American flag my dad had flown for Dan and I last year during his deployment to Iraq. And on the right is the cute homemade calendar I got from my grandma Kropushek this past Christmas--so so cute!

I just LOVE this display!
Since the 4th of July was on a Monday this year, we were able to celebrate the holiday the entire weekend. Friday night after I got home from work, we went and watched fireworks at Elmwood Park by UNO. The fireworks were after a concert by .38 Special. Dan and I skipped out on the concert because we'd already heard them play while visiting my parents in Cuba in 2009. Saturday night we also watched fireworks held at the new College World Series ball park in down town Omaha. They were beautiful!!!!
Taking pictures of fireworks is really quite tough--as evident from these!
Better luck next firework show!
On the Fourth, we started the day early with a neighborhood breakfast of waffles topped with all sorts of fresh fruits, and Dan's favorite--whipped topping! After breakfast the guys chatted about school stuff while the girls chatted and painted nails! Dahlia, our friend who hosted the breakfast, and I painted ours toe nails Fourth of July style--Red and White stripes on one foot and blue sparkles on the other! so so fun!
Next, we went slip-and-sliddin' across the street from our house on a huge hill! It was a homemade slip-and-slide a guy from our ward set up with painter plastic and a few sprinklers. What an fun idea! Dan and I raced to the bottom every time, and he always won--lucky him! After a while the people who owned the property we were slip-and-slidding on kicked us off due to liability reasons. BUMMER!

After that, Dan and I went for a nice long run and got kicked off the levy that runs along the Missouri River by the National Guard. ---ooops! Didn't know you couldn't run on a levy when there was a pending flood...
Next we had smoked ribs and rib-lets with the Jacobson's (dental students in our ward) and the Wright's (medical students in Dan's class). The ribs and rib-lets were delicious!!! Matt always does a great job with his smoker. YUM!!
After dinner we played the game, Clue, which Dan slaughtered everyone in. I keep telling Dan that he better start letting some other people win or our friends won't want to play with us anymore..LOL!

When the sun was setting Dan and I passed the football around until the firework show which was held at Harrah's Casino on the river. We were able to see the show across the street from our house! How convenient!

I hope everyone had a fabulous time celebrating yet another year of independence with family, friends, and good food!!!

And what's fireworks without a kiss?

Run. Walk. Crawl.

2011-07-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

Around the middle of May sometime, I realized I had forgotten to wish my dad a happy birthday on his birthday, May 6th. The funniest thing was, I actually called my mom on May 6th to talk to her. It just so happens my dad answered the phone when I called that day, probably because he thought I was calling to wish him a happy birthday. Well, when he answered, we talked a bit and then I asked to talk with mom. UGH! Can you say DUMMY?!?

So about a week later I was driving home from work. I was just singing along to the radio and all the sudden it came to me--I had forgotten to wish my dad a happy birthday on HIS birthday even though I had indeed talked to him that very day. UGH! Boy was I frustrated. It was like a light popped on and BOOM! my brain put it all together without me even thinking about it.

Immediately, I called my dad to apologize for not wishing him a happy birthday on his special day. Of course my dad laughed at my hotheadedness and we chatted for a while. He told me of a run he was preparing for that was to be held around the middle of June, when Dan and I would be in the area. Initially, I was a little bummed that I hadn't signed up for the run and all the spots were already filled up. But then my dad told me how he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to run all three of his legs since he was just starting to get over pneumonia, which had cost him A LOT of precious training time. Without hesitation, I volunteered to run for him if need be. After all, Dan and I had been running a few miles every night to get back in shape after neglecting our bodies during the past few months.

Dan and I picked up a few more miles each night so I could be prepared to run--possibly 9 miles for my dad. Little did I know that my uncle Dean, who was to run in the race, had not yet found anyone to work for him at his Pharmacy...

...5 days before the race, I called my mom. We chatted for our usual hour visit and right before hanging up she mentioned that Dean could not find a Pharmacist to work for him at his Pharmacy. Panic swam through my body. I knew before she even started her next sentence that I was going to have to run Dean's legs.

So that is how I got to run this year's Wasatch Back Ragnar.

---Our Van consisted of (L to R) Liz (dad's sister), Moana (dad's brother, David's wife), Kayla (Liz's daughter), Katrina (Moana's daughter), Dad, me, David (our driver/dad's brother)---

Ragnar was to start on Friday (in Logan, UT) and dad couldn't get off work (in Ft. Carson, CO) until Thursday around 2pm. That meant driving the night before our race--not a good pre-race warm up...ooooops. On our way through Colorado, we ran into major traffic in Denver which cost us precious drive time (about 2 hours). Dan and dad traded off driving while I played with the XM radio (so cool by the way). We didn't arrive at my aunt Stephanie's house until 2:30am Mountain time--3:30 Omaha time......with a race the next day--ooooops, again!

If there is one place I've learned not to sleep the night before a race, it's the floor. AND that's exactly where we slept...a living room floor. --Now I know why we always slept in hotel suits the night before a race rather than the universities' gym floor while running for ISU.--Morning came awfully early at 7:30am when dad's phone blazed to life. Shortly after that we headed to Einstein's Bagels. YUM! Perfect pre-race breakfast if you ask me!

Next we did some much needed snack shopping for all the goods: fruit snacks, cliff bars, PB&J, energy gel & LOTS of water!!! Finally, we were headed for our start line.

Our team had actually already started running earlier that morning. You see the race goes kinda like this:

-Every team is made up of 12 people, split into 2 vans. (we were van 2)
-Every person who runs, has to run 3 legs of the race.
-Everyone averages about 15 miles between their 3 legs which culminates into 192 miles.
-Van 1 starts. Van 2 goes next. Van 1 goes again. Van 2 gets another turn. Van 1 runs their last time. Van 2 finishes up the race.
---Easy as pie, right?!

Stephanie (Dad's sister) passed off to Moana, Friday around noon and we were off...
Here's Dad and my cousin, Kayla. Kayla and Katrina (my other cousin who ran) recently graduated from HS. Kayla's going to ISU for pharmacy, just like her dad and Katrina's going to BYU Hawaii, just like her mom. Katrina's going to run cross country for BYU-H and work towards a degree in dental hygiene.
Our van runners went in a sequence that started with Moana. Then Liz ran, who passed off to me. After I was done running, dad would run and pass off to Kayla. Katrina would then finish off.
Here I am at the first hand off between Liz and I. Liz is in the pink coming in strong.
Instead of carrying around a baton, we wore a snap bracelet. You know, the kind that were popular years ago when I was a kid. lol
Our hand offs were pretty awesome!
My first leg was a very flat 3.2 miles (5k) through a residential area. Time of day: 3pm
I thought the elevation difference between Omaha and Utah (~5,000 feet/1mile) was going to kill me. BUT instead I loved the nice dry heat with a light breeze as opposed to the humidity of Omaha. I felt great!!! Dan said he thought it took me around 18 minutes to complete. I passed (aka "killed" in runner lingo) 14 people and no one killed me!
Here's dad after his first leg. He was the oldest on our team by a land slide at 47. GO DAD! After coming off pneumonia, he started training a little hard and hurt his left calf muscle/Achilles tendon just days before the race. His first leg was 4 miles. He did awesome!
After everyone in our van ran their first leg, and Katrina handed off to Jesse, we went to our next hand off point and TRIED to sleep. People kept driving, walking, talking, and playing music all around us that I couldn't fall asleep. I think I drifted off for maybe 2 minutes before someone honked their horn and I was bolt awake. UGH!
The girls braided each others hair, and Katrina massaged our calves. She said I was the only one without knots in my calves...yay..I was surprised after being cramped in the suburban for hours after running my 5k with very minimal stretching. The down side to the Ragnar being such a popular race (1,300 teams), is the traffic. There is no time to stretch after a hand off because there is barely enough time to get to the next exchange due to all the other vans trying to get there too. Once Kayla was running up a HUGE mountain (to snow basin) and we didn't have Katrina to the exchange before Kayla beat us there. Katrina had to get out of the suburban and run up part of the mountain to make the hand off. It was sad.

Dad broughts cots for us to sleep on. A-mazing!! We only brought 1 sleeping bag though so we had to share. I got the insert and dad got the outer cover. We were warm due to the military-ness of the material...lol

My second run started at midnight. I had to run 9.3 miles up a gradual incline around Ucon lake. It was an unaccompanied run which meant I was running without anyone to cheer me on or give me water if needed. I also had to wear a reflector vest, a head lamp, and a red blinking light on my back. I ran on the road for about 3 miles and then on a really rocky trail around the lake for pretty much the rest of the run. I felt great despite my lack of sleep and stretching. My game plan was to kill as many people as I could by focusing on their red blinking light and picking them off one-by-one.

A mile into the run, I think I'd killed 4 people, and I got killed hard and fast by what appeared to be a white hippie guy with long hair on a very tall, anorexic looking body--No doubt a BYU male runner.

About mile 3 I slightly strained my ankle on a big rock turning onto the trail around the lake. Thank heavens I have strong ankles! I think about the first half mile of the trail should have been cleaned up a bit for runners. It was THAT rocky, especially in the dark.

At about mile 5 I thought I saw an animal running ahead of me. I wasn't sure what it was. Sure enough it was a skunk. Yup. A skunk! I about peed my pants as I passed it. At that very moment I remembered smelling skunk not too far back about the time when I passed a guy walking. Poor guy must have been sprayed! lol. I'm just glad it wasn't me!

While approaching the "1 Mile to go" sign, I passed a blonde haired guy about my age. The turd picked up his pace and passed me back. All I could think of was: How far I'd ran, How much elevation change I just made, and How much I SO badly wanted to kick this kids trash! So I tucked in right behind him and since I run lightly on my feet, he had no idea I was on his tail. Once we turned a corner and I saw a HUGE hill, I knew the top would be the finish. Half way up the hill I kicked it in. The kid about peed his pants seeing me pass him without him being aware until just then. With everyone watching at the finish, he kicked it into 4th gear and passed me. I passed him right back. And with 10 feet left, he killed me to the finish the moment I saw my dad wasn't there at the hand off.

Tears welled up in my eyes . I stopped dead in my tracks and shouted for him, but he wasn't there. Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to leave the exchange zone to go look for him. SO I waited for what seemed like 10 minutes as all the people I'd killed during my run now passed me standing there. What an experience.

Finally, I saw him and David round the bathrooms. Oh, I was so frustrated. I'd given all I had in that run. Come to find out, they banked on me running about 10 minute miles, so that would be 90 minutes, right? But they thought they'd be at the hand off a tad early in case I ran it faster. So an hour and fifteen minutes after I started they showed up. But I had already finished. It took me (estimate) an hour and 10 minutes to finish! YAY! Just under 8 minute miles! Total kills: 19 (2 guys killed me): BYU hippie & turd at the end

After my second leg, we immediately went to the next hand off and were prepared for the unexpected! Dad ran great. He ran with another policeman and chatted with him about politics/military/police stuff. I'm glad he had a good time! He even had to run through a creek and so his feet got all wet. I was a little worried he would get sick, but thankfully he didn't. Unfortunately though after his run his right Achilles tendon swelled up HUGE. So he obviously wouldn't be able to run his last leg. We all knew he wanted to finish, but if he did, he might snap his Achilles--bad, bad idea. He's such a great example of perseverance.

The picture above is on Ragnar hill (MOUNTAIN in my opinion!) It's the mountain up the back of Park city. I ran a 5K up the base of the mountain (with only 2 hours of sleep). The elevation change was 1400 feet (310 feet higher than Omaha's elevation..lol!

I think I ran the first mile and a half without stopping to walk.

I lost count of my kills once I mentally broke and walked. I only got killed twice that I remember.

I wasn't prepared to have to stop and walk. I NEVER walk. I have never walked since...
...well I don't remember.

If I'm hurting, I'll slow down to a VERY, VERY slow jog, but mentally IF I stop and walk, in my mind that's giving up. The way I see it, I can't let myself walk, not even once. I fear if I do, I'll become sensitive to the pain. Walking is an easy out. I just can't. I just don't.

I also had never ran up a mountain without virtually any breaks. I run Omaha's hills. Pretty tough grades actually. But I know even though it's going to hurt, in a few short minutes I'll get a break. Not with Ragnar though. After fooling myself that I'd get a break after the next switch back and after passing tons of people walking and drinking water, I broke. Once I started walking, I didn't know when to start running again. I'd never stopped to walk before. It was something I wasn't prepared for.

Dan said I walked 3 times during my leg. Once I reached the "1 mile to go" sign, I was back in the game. I picked it up and raced a girl to the finish.

After the hand off, my dad hugged me. I cried.

Thankfully a few other teams complemented me on how well I ran the mountain, which definitely helped me piece my mind back together.

Liz finished Ragnar mountain. Her part was 4 miles. I was surprised to see her break mentally and walk a few times too. It's just so strange to see die hard runners break.

Only one guy ran the mountain without stopping to walk. I wonder if he practiced on that mountain. ????
Here is our support crew! Celina and Dan helped check in teams at Logan. They were awesome! They slept in the car in the freezing cold and were such awesome volunteers!

Katrina finished us off! We ran in together as a 12 man team. It was awesome! We finished just under 30 hours.
All the kroPUSHeks who ran (dad came up with our team name for our next run "PUSH" from our last name!)
Our entire team! Maybe next time we'll have a whole team of kroPUSHeks!
Dad and I at the finish! We got free food! Ice cream, pizza, fruit, and drinks!!! YUM! I had such a great time with my dad. After all, it was him to perked my interest in running. He was the one who would tickle my feet Saturday mornings until I'd get out of bed and go running with him. He taught me where to hold my arms and how to relax my hands. He's taught me so much about running! I love you dad!

Now that we've ran Utah's Ragnar, everyone wants to run Nevada's Ragnar in Las Vegas this October. "From Saints to Sinners"--Dad might fly me out if my nursing schedule allows! Oh please, oh please!

Rock Climbing in Colorado!

2011-07-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

After Dan's big test this summer, we decided we needed a vacation from not only school, but Omaha in general. So right after I got off work one evening, we headed over to Colorado to visit family for a few weeks. The drive was fun! Dan and I traded off when we got tired and 8 or so hours later (about 4am), we were in beautiful Colorado! Dan's sister, Jenn and her cute family were visiting Colorado at the same time, so we met up and went rock climbing at the "Big Red Open Space." I had to laugh when Dan told me where we were going! It just sounded so...so...so...bland! But it sure was true to it's name.

Here's Dan and our nephew, Brek. Dan's such a great uncle to Jenn's little boys! Every time I see Dan play with his nephews it brings me such joy knowing that someday when we have kids of our own, he'll be a wonderful dad! Dan really is awesome with kids, especially those in our ward. He treats them as if they were his own nephews and nieces! Dan keeps teasing me that we better have kids before he gets too old to play with them. And that is no joke. It would l.i.t.e.r.a.l.l.y. break Dan's heart if he couldn't throw a football around with his kids every day after work or spin them around in the air like an airplane.

The little kids, even Brielle, Jeff's little girl, kept climbing on the lower rocks because they wanted to rock climb too. After watching Brielle climb a little bit, I really think she's going to grow up to be just like her daddy, a true rock climber! She really seems to love it!
Here Dan is, sporting off his harness! He really was in heaven being with his family and everyone climbing together!
Talon has gotten so big since we last saw him last summer! He's now done with Kindergarten! When he grows up, he wants to be an astronaut! But I have a feeling that might change. Last summer he wanted to be an oceanographer and the summer before that he wanted to be a "helicopter driver." He's such a smart kid. He can literally be anything this he wants to be!
Here he is climbing to the top all by himself! He did such an awesome job! I think I whined a little more than he did when I got to the middle part of the climb where there weren't many hand and feet holds and kinda panicked! He did great!
He made it!!!!! I was so proud of him! Coming down might have been little scarier for him then going up, but he made it! Lori told of a time when they spend a few hours having to retrieve a little kid who was to scared to repel down the rocks. So Talon really did do an awesome job!
I climbed on real rocks for the first time! Well, I do remember a time when I was younger that I went climbing with my parents and a few of my uncles, but that probably doesn't count. Speaking of firsts, Dan took me rock climbing at ISU's rock wall for our third date, so it was so awesome to climb together 3 years later! Anyhow, I borrowed Lori's little tiny climbing shoes which put my feet to sleep because they were to tight, but they sure helped me grip onto the rocks.
Dan really did a great job climbing the "tough" side of the rock wall!
Here he is with Jeff's climbing shoes which really helped him climb well!

A little smile for the camera!
How exciting!!!!! I think Dan would love to move to Colorado some day so he can climb more! We love how Colorado has so many fun outdoor activities to offer!!
During our climb, we had a little picnic and Dan and I took the little boys and Brielle on a miniature hike! After an afternoon climbing with the kids, we headed back to our cars and this is what we found Brielle like when we reached the cars--her face covered in strawberries! haha Trace was sitting in the seat next to her and his face was equally smeared in strawberries! Funny kids!
Next we went to Mr. Biggs. It's like a big kid chucky cheese. There are all sorts of fun things to do there! We decided bowling sounded fun, so we got one lane for the kids and one lane for the adults. It was so fun to watch them bowl! By the way, Dan won!!!! He really is a pretty good bowler!
Bumpers work wonders with kids and so does the metal ball roller!
Awe, Trace has grown so much in the past year! He's walking and talking and can just about do everything his two older brothers can. Not to mention he's super adorable!
After bowling we ate some pizza which was so yummy after a busy day! To top dinner off Dan rolled the kids around in their high chairs which made them all fall in love with their Uncle Dan all over again before he had to say goodbye!
For the rest of the night, we played around in the kid's area filled with lots of fun toys. The kids got to dress up like firefighters and pretend to drive a fire truck. They also got to play in a huge sand box with "hidden treasure." Best of all they got to sail on a huge boat and shoot cannons at each other (which Dan probably loved more than the kids!) I wish my camera hadn't died :( so I could have snapped some of those pictures. It was so nice to visit with Lori and Jenn! They're such good examples of...pretty much everything! Hopefully we'll get to see these munchkins again sooner than later!

Bake, Bake, Bake all day long!

2011-07-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

For Thanksgiving last year, we were able to go to Colorado and visit my parents for a few days and celebrate the holiday with family rather than on our own! Boy, did we need a break from life in Omaha. Needless to say, Thanksgiving was awesome! We got to visit with not only my family, but also Dan's brother, Jeff, his wife Lori, and their daughter, Brielle. Having my parents stationed in Colorado has been such a blessing!

Anyway onto the story of the Kitchen Aid...

So for the past few months before our trip to Colorado, I'd been slowly convincing Dan that I needed a Kitchen Aid. Every time we would step into Wal Mart, we'd somehow drift over to the appliance section of the store. And our conversation would go something like...

Me: "It seems like every time I go to make cookies or some dessert it takes f.o.r.e.v.e.r."

Dan: "I know. It's that hand mixer of yours that keeps shorting out."

Me: "Yeah, I know. We should probably think about getting a real mixer. What do you think about this Kitchen Aid."

Dan: "$250 cookies are a little pricey, don't you think?"

Me: "Oh Danny, you know I need one!!!!!"

Dan: "hahahahaha! Now, what were we here for?"

Literally, making cookies took ALL afternoon. It was more frustrating then it definitely should have been! The biggest frustration was the time issue. As a college student, I couldn't afford spending hours making cookies, but Dan and I also couldn't really afford buying cookies all the time to satisfy our cookie cravings. So there we were, left in a rut.

Well, after a little Black Friday shopping around with my parents, the Kitchen Aid was purchased by the one and only, Santa.

HOWEVER...

After making a few batches of cookies with it, Dan and I decided that it sounded awfully strange when switching gears. I was so worried my Kitchen Aid was broken. A few months later after making yet a few more batches of cookies, I decided something still didn't sound right. I even called my mom and listened to her Kitchen Aid over the phone to make sure I wasn't just paranoid.

Dan volunteered to return the Kitchen Aid for me since it was still under its' one year warranty. A week or so later, our new one arrived in the mail and it's been popping out all sorts of goodies!!!!

Believe it or not, these were actually made around finals week. How I had the time to make them I'll never know, but boy that Kitchen Aid sure is fast!
Dan's personal favorite, cinnamon rolls!
If only my dough would "beef up" a bit!!!

Either way, baking has become so much fun in our home. I enjoy mixing and Dan and I both enjoy eating!--As Dan would say, "I'd rather die of diabetes than a heart attack or a stroke, so bring on the sugar."

Yet another year has past!

2011-06-30T16:32:00.000-07:00

Really? Wow.
Another whole year of school for Dan and I has come and gone. Both our heads are still swimming. It's absolutely crazy how much has happened this past year. Yet, as I sit and contemplate what really has changed over the past year, I realize that a whole lot of reading, studying, and test-taking certainly isn't that exciting to blog about. Although going to school and working everyday isn't very noteworthy, Dan and I have most definitely come a little bit closer to our dreams because of it.

Now that this year is over, Dan and I are both halfway through our programs. Thankfully, I only have one more year to go! Nursing has become something I not only enjoy, but something I look forward to someday being apart of my everyday routine. I just can't hardly wait until it finally becomes a reality rather than merely a dream.

Dan actually started his third year of med school this week. He's glad to be done with not only his bookwork years of med school, but also the USMLE. What a b.e.a.s.t.! Dan is SO excited to be in the hospital! He'll be starting with Labor and Delivery this first rotation. We'll see if he likes it as much as I do.

Unfortunately, another summer has come and gone!

2010-08-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

Whew! Not only has this summer gone by in a flash, but these past 2 years have gone by without us hardly knowing where all that time went! My favorite part of this summer was our 2nd anniversary! Can you believe we've been married 2 years!??
WELL.....
We started the summer out in Idaho with Dan doing some research at EIRMC. He also shadowed a few doctors which is quite possibly where he learned the most. He also built a vinyl fence in his "spare time." Other than that, Dan helped on his parent's farm here and there which he really loves. Meanwhile, I played with Dan's nephews and visited with my mom since she was in town for awhile. We also went to one of my best friend, Chelsea's homecoming. She was one of the girls I ran with at ISU, and she was also one of my bridesmaids.
I went to my cousin Ashley's graduation in Boise and made some delicious homemade jam with my grandma Gayla.

I also helped find one of my long lost first cousins, Kelsee! Kelsee's dad, Heath, one of my mom's younger brothers, passed away years ago in a motorcycle accident.
This is Kelsee and me talking on the phone! My aunt Cyndi took the picture to document us being reunited after not seeing each other since we were toddlers.
After Dan's research was over, my best friend from middle school got married. Felicia and I share a special friendship that will never die. We were pen pals all through High School after I moved to Heidelberg, Germany freshman year. She and I love each other like sisters. Felicia as my maid of honor 2 years ago at my wedding. The interesting thing about Felicia marrying Jonathan is that #1 They've known each other since they were titty bitty and #2 She had no interest in him all growing up. Everyone joked they'd get married someday, but Felicia had a crush on my brother, Kolton, instead. But eventually their paths crossed again in college and sure enough, they were married July 1st in the Houston, TX temple and we got to attend! That's right, Dan, my sister Celina, and I drove to Louisiana. Despite hurricane Alex's rage, our prayers were answered and their wedding day was beautiful!

After our road trip to Louisiana, Dan and I redid our kitchen cabinets!
Dan also repainted the guest bedroom, its' closet, and our bathroom...with the help of my sister.
For three weeks Dan worked a landscaping job which ended up being a total joke. Dan's Spanish improved a lot from speaking with all the Mexicans he worked with.
I got a job at Sam's Club Pharmacy as a Technician. I love my new job! I've learned so much! I hope this job will put me that much more ahead when pharmacology rolls around.
Dan turned 25 in June and I turned 22 this month! We had great birthdays shared with family, friends, and each other!
My dad got back from Iraq in July and so my family came to our house for a few days to visit! We had a great time going to the IMAX, going to dinner, and relaxing. My mom taught me how to make some really fun meals too!
For our final "Wahoo" before school started, Dan and I visited Mahoney State Park! We went to the wave pool and toured the park. We're thinking of buying a season pass to the park next year because it's so much fun and so beautiful!
Dan's back in school, as of this past Monday, and he sure has been busy ever since. With being in the Elder's Quorum presidency and in the leadership of something like 5 clubs, Dan's BUSY! I, on the other hand, start school Monday. Last night was my White Coat Ceremony!!! SO now I'm an official UNMC Nursing student class of 2012! I've meet some great girls in my class so far, and I can't wait to make even more friends and study buddies!

Here's Dan at his White Coat last year! We'll have to get a picture of us both in our coats together!

2010-01-24T19:26:00.000-08:00

We decided since we've been married for a year and a half, we'd better update our pictures!
I'm so glad Dan didn't drop me!

Whew! Another week of school is over! There's only 14 more! Actually that sounds terrible. Fourteen still seems like a lot! BUT I'm trying to be optimistic....SO 2 weeks conquered and I'm feeling great!!!!
Dan has a huge final tomorrow that is 70% of his final grade in the class. Thank heavens the subject is microbiology and everything that encompasses! He's practically an expert when it comes to anything creepy and crawling!
As for me, I'm still hanging in there at UNO. I'm still part time due to residency rules, but I really am enjoying it! I love the elementary I work at. The kids are great...for the most part!
Our new Sunbeams this year are giving us a run for our money, but we wouldn't ask for it any other way! We just hope our own kids...that is if we have any after we're through with this calling...jk...don't give other people such a tough time!

P.S. Thanks Jenn for taking the pictures for us!

2010-01-06T08:09:00.001-08:00

SNOW DAY!
After our long holiday vacation in Utah and Idaho, we've finally made it home...to Omaha! Dan still kinda cringes when he calls Omaha our home. I think it's growing on him. He's just not used to establishing a new home every few years like me.
The drive back (home) had a few stormy parts, but all-in-all we were lucky to have such nice clean roads! We were able to save a bunch of money because we drove instead of flying which has been such a blessing everything worked out!
But now that we're home, the holidays don't seem over. It was really REALLY sad taking down our Christmas tree. But we had plenty of gifts to unwrap from under the tree! My mom sent us 3 boxes of gifts and my dad sent us one too! It was like Christmas all over again! It was so much fun! We love having two Christmas'! We loved all our gifts this year! I'll have to post a few pictures of them now that our camera is in working order!
All this vacation has gotten me a little lazy, but I'm sticking to my New Years resolutions! I've been working out 5 times a week! I'm feeling great! (I've made it to Jan6th and I'm holding strong!)
Dan is, of course, back to the books. He's got a test this Friday and he only started back up on Monday. Creighton is pretty hardcore! Last night we got roughly 3-5 inches of snow and we're expected to get more today...it's been snowing nonstop all morning. Of course work for me was canceled, but Creighton is open...snow, sleet, hail, or blizzard! The roads aren't plowed...and I'm stuck at home worried. Today was Dan's turn to drive for the carpool...our car is having enough problems as it is! Thank goodness we just got new tires!
Last night Dan helped me finish up my nursing application and this morning I submitted it! I just finished ordering all my transcripts to be sent to UNMC so now all I've got to do is wait...and wait...and wait!!!

A Very Merry Christmas and a Super Duper Happy New Year!!!

2009-12-30T19:18:00.000-08:00

This year, Dan and I decided to give his family the best surprise poor medical students possibly could! For about 2 months we told Dan's family there was no way we would be able to make it out for Christmas. Everyone thought there was no way we would be coming for the holidays. But secretly Dan and I had made arrangements to drive out to Utah with one of Dan's med school friends and surprise the Millers on their doorstep a few days before Christmas.
The surprise was one of a life time! I don't think we'll ever be able to duplicate it for as long as we live. We're just so glad the beans weren't spilt and the surprise had the impact we had expected.
We're grateful we never ran into bad weather on our way here. We're just hoping and praying for good weather on the way back!
We've been really bummed Idaho didn't have much snow to cross country ski or ice skate. But we are really happy we got to spend time eating delicious food, play plenty of Wii games to last us through next semester, and rest from all our schooling cares!
We also got to visit Kolton!!! He's now staying with Trent in Idaho Falls. He's a little unsure what his future looks like. He just knows he's pretty much done with construction for a while. Construction just takes a lot out of you physically and he's thinking of maybe going to college to get a better job! He's just unsure what he wants to do for the rest of his life. He's been having too much fun playing around! But we really had fun playing video games with him and Trent's kids. They got guitar hero for Christmas and so we all rocked out! It was fun! We also went out to dinner with Kolton tonight and had a good time hanging out and just talking! It's nice to see family!
Tomorrow we head down to Utah for New Years Eve with Sharon and Cyndi (my mom's sisters). We can't wait!!!! But we sure will miss our adorable nephews and niece!

2009-11-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

Yet again Dan and I have had car trouble! It all started with our great idea to finally get the tires on our car changed. We were a little bummed about having to spend a few hundred dollars on tires, but we knew the time was coming so we kinda-sorta prepared ourselves... I mean we'd done our homework. We called around trying to make sure that we were getting the best deal on these "bad boys". To Dan's frustration once again, Wal Mart had the best price.
So finally the day comes to actaully get the new tires put on. An hour after we drop the car off, we get a call from Wal Mart. We're thinking the tires are already hooked up and we can come by to pick up our car anytime...YEAH RIGHT...that would have been too convenient!...So Dan picks up the phone and his face completely transforms in a matter of seconds. Of course, I'm thinking the young kid who was working on our car accidently ran it into a wall or something. Thank heavens I was wrong! So Dan gets off the phone and proceeds to tell me one of our tires won't come off. They can't change it for us and say that we'll have to take it somewhere else, its Saturday by the way so everywhere is closed of course! I don't know the first thing about cars, so I'm having a panic attack thinking our car is broken. Dan's worried we'll have to both go down and donate our kidneys so we can get our car back and fixed before the day is over. Once again, thankfully that was not the case!
The entire next week, we kept worrying about our car troubles and getting the other tire fixed before it got worse. So on Friday, we drove to the west side of Omaha....like 30 minutes away to find out our worries were for nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We got the problem solved for under $20! Sure it was a hastle calling all over town again to find out who would give us the cheapest deal on our broken tire, but it was so worth it! We're so grateful for blessings like these. They happen everyday and they really help put life in perspective!
This year, the Thanksgiving season is bringing a renewed spirit with it. This blessing, however small, really openned our eyes to what we have been blessed with. Although we love the turkey, the mashed potatoes, and especially the freshly baked pies, we feel so grateful for each other! I think we've both really felt the holiday spirit already! We just can't wait for the holidays to begin!

2009-10-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend Dan and I went to a local pumpkin patch. It was such a blast! We went with a few of our friends from Dan's medical school class who had kids and it turned out to be one of the funnest things we've done since moving to Omaha! We watched pigs race in circles for an oreo cookie, we picked out our own pumpkins to carve later this week, we jumped on these huge inflatable trampolines, and we raced each other in pedal carts! Dan and I challenged our friends, Dave and Dahlia to a double pedal cart race and.....lost! We're blaming it on the fact that Dan took the wrong trail, but really we're just out of shape!
-Dan trying to launch me like the cannon pumpkins we watched just minutes before-

-Me trying SuPeR hard to launch Dan, but failing miserably. -

-This picture isn't a very good depiction of the REAL race...I actually beat Dan!...I also had a head start!-

Our Summer Swim

2009-07-22T20:13:00.001-07:00

A few weeks back Dan's sister, Jen, came down to Pocatello with her little family and we all went swimming at Ross park. Dan and I had a BLAST! It was so much fun laying out in the sun relaxing and playing with our little nephews! Ever since then, Dan and I have been on a "swim quest." We've been checking out all the pools and water parks we possibly can!
For our anniversary...(yes, we have been married an entire year! It flew by so fast that we hope medical school flies by just as fast and just as PAINLESS!) lol...so for our anniversary

The Beginning!

2009-06-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

I'm finally opening a blog! I've been really hesitant about opening one because I'm such a bad "facebooker." I've heard blogging is great for people who don't stay constant with their journaling...sounds great for me! I always start a journal and find myself getting burnt out. It seems once I start an entry, I can't stop because I have so much to say. Dan thinks this whole blog idea is a joke, but I bet he'll get hooked!