The Life of a Rancher's Wife

HAPPY WEEKEND

2012-02-10T21:07:00.000-08:00

Cheers to the Freakin' Weekend. SO SO SO glad the weekend is finally here. I've worked hard this week. I still have half of a day of work then it's off to Cokeville, Wyoming for a baby shower, missionary farewell, and lots of family. I can't wait!! Tonight Chandler is off with his buddies for a "bachelor party". For me, it's laundry and my favorite...NEWSIES!!!

A DJ and a Discoball

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been turning my car into a dance club wherever I go. I dance on my way to work. I dance on my way to Salt Lake. I dance when I'm in my car period. At my dance club, I invite the 3 men seen below to be my entertainment/music. I have been on a major Tech N9ne kick lately. His music can pull me up out of any funk I'm in and get me moving. I try not to listen to the message that he is trying to send me. I just really love the flow and musicality of his stuff. These 3 are my favorite to work out to as well. Maybe I should listen to them more so I will get off my lazy behind and get to working out. Now. go put some of their old stuff in and dance your heart out.

Cute Chicks

2012-01-31T18:22:00.000-08:00

Chandler ordered some cute chicks to be delivered to our house. At first I didn't know how I felt about it. That's all we need, right? I can't even keep track of the animals that we already have. We got a call telling us that the chicks had been delivered a little before 7 in the morning. On my day off, I got awakened at 7 in the morning. Oh well, I need to get up earlier from now on. Chandler went to pick up the chicks while I stayed at home and stayed snuggled up and warm. As soon as I heard the garage door open, I ran down the stairs. Chandler had just put them in their box that they'll be raised in for the first month of their life. Oh my goodness, my heart just melted. There were multiple little puffy balls of fluff running around inside this box. I don't know what's happened to me. I once was anti-animals. Being married to a lover of animals has certainly changed how I feel about them. We'll probably be old MacDondald and Mrs. MacDonald and have a farm in no time. Chandler would love that. I guess I would go along with it too. Enjoy looking at my cute little puffy balls of fun!!!

Inside my thoughts....

2012-01-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

I have had a ton of thinking time lately, maybe a little too much. For some odd reason, I've been waking up around 2 or 3 every night and struggle falling back to sleep. My brain starts up the second my eyes open. My thoughts have a general topic, but once in a while I stray from that said topic. A few nights ago, I was evaluating my job as a wife. Am I the perfect wife? If only in my dreams... Am I the close to perfect wife? Keep dreaming... As much as I struggle, Chandler is so good to deal with my weaknesses and down falls. I'm not the best at staying on top of the laundry or keeping the house clean. He doesn't complain hardly ever. He just loves me for me. Thank goodness!! So my goal for the year is to be a better version of myself...for him.

It must be getting close to Valentine's Day. I'm getting all lovey dovey on you...

Yes, I'm aware that the above picture isn't the best... It's just the most recent I have.

Love you Chandler Jaymes.

Catch Up!!!

2012-01-26T20:40:00.000-08:00

Yes, here it is the end of January and I'm blogging about Christmas.

Chandler and I spoiled each other. Our motto is: Once we have kids we won't be able to afford to get each other big gifts. So we might as well live it up now.

I got Chandler a bow. He has wanted one forever, and has been such a good boy. He totally deserved it. I don't have any knowledge about bows and the equipment that goes with it. Luckily, one of Chandler's older brothers was willing to help me out. He ordered it, picked it up, and got the gear to go with it. It was a pretty stress free Christmas for me.

Chandler spoiled me like there was no next Christmas.

He got me the vehicle that I have been drooling over for the past 4 years. Living in Utah where the snow falls for what feels like 11 out of the 12 months, I really wanted a 4 wheel or all wheel drive car. That's just what I got!!!

Let me introduce you to my new baby!

It's not brand new, but to me it is.

Here is my GMC Acadia!!

I AM IN LOVE!!!

(with my husband...and my new ride)

Hopefully I can do a little better with my blog. Who knows?

BIg week!!!

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

This week is a big one. Where do I even start? I am so excited. To start things off, my sweet little brother is turning 21 on thursday. I can't even wrap my brain around this. Maybe it's because the last time I saw him he was 19. He is celebrating his last birthday out in the mission field. I can't say that he is excited to come home, but I can say that the rest of us in the family are glad that we will get to celebrate his 22nd with him. Love you Dev!

Next on the list, the day after Dev's birthday, CHANDLER AND I HAVE MADE IT!!! This friday marks our 2 year anniversary. I can honestly say (hurry, cover your ears if you don't like lovey dovey talk) it's been the best 2 years. I love him more than I ever thought I could. I have heard that the first couple of years are the hardest. If that's the case, we're in for a pretty easy rest of forever. Now I realize that every relationship is different, so the 2 first years may not be our hardest years. I can honestly say that I know we can make it through anything. He's so good at supporting me and showing me how much he loves me. I on the other hand could do better at showing him some love. I've got lots to do to be what I feel like he deserves. I'm just thankful he accepts me for who I am. I LOVE YOU CHANDLER JAYMES!!

small side note: my mom and i are going to the midnight showing of the new twilight movie on thursday night. i'm a fan and i'm not ashamed... most of the time

I'm behind...

2011-11-07T17:38:00.000-08:00

I've seen so many people updating with things they are thankful for. I have so many things that I am thankful for because I am so blessed. It's so easy sometimes to feel like nothing is going right in my life and that I have it so hard. Not too long ago, I complained every day about taking care of the mink as well as being a hunting widow. Looking back on it, I learned a lot and got time to work on improving myself. I worked hard and it made me thankful for the work that Chandler does on a daily basis. I'm also thankful that he gets to guide every year even though I miss him. He enjoys it so much and he gets to be with his dad and some of his older brothers. They all may not get along every single day, but I know that they have fun spending 9 weeks together. I hear stories and experiences and there is no way I could ever tell Chandler that he can't guide. I'm thankful that he has such a good dad and amazing brothers. I'm glad he has them as examples and people to look up to. I also have to say I'm thankful for my brother. I'm glad I can look up to him as an example. He is down to about a month left of his mission and I can honestly say that I will really miss getting his uplifting emails every monday. Don't get me wrong, I am so excited for him to come home. It will be good to have my whole family back in one area. I can't wait to spend time as a WHOLE family. I LOVE ME SOME GOOD FAMILY TIME!!!

Oh my goodness, I feel like I could go on and on. As much as I wish I could have things that I don't currently have, I feel like I have so much to be thankful for.

I have survived!!!

2011-11-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

My 9 weeks as a mink rancher came to a close this weekend. I wish I could say that it went by so quickly and that I'll miss it, but I can't. It drug on. I stressed over it every moment of my life for those 9 weeks. The last week was the hardest because it got cold enough that everything was frozen every morning. I'm not very tough when it comes to the cold weather. I freeze very easily. Luckily, all of Chandler's winter mink clothes were mine for the last week. An EXTRA LARGE pair of "Carhart Bibs" and an EXTRA LARGE camo coat were my fashion statement of the week. Oh, and don't forget my black stocking cap. The bibs were about 6 inches too long so I had them rolled up over my pink and green plaid rain boots that served as my work boots. I looked like a real fashionista. I stayed nice and toasty though. I would have taken a picture but it was really hard to get a picture when I didn't have anyone to take it. I could have done the "facebook" picture where I took a picture of my reflection in the mirror, but the mink clothes were not allowed in the house. They were taken off in the garage and left out there until the next day. So I'm sad to report that I have no records of my cute look.

I can say that I am proud of myself for lasting the whole 9 weeks. My theme song for the 9 week period was "I will Survive". Now I can say that I have survived. I'm ready to turn in my rain boots in for my apron and get back to being a hairstylist. I can say that I say that I have a new appreciation for Chandler and for how hard he works. I'm really glad he enjoys what he does because I don't think we would last very long in the business if he didn't.

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to see Footloose. (Confession-I saw it 2 nights in a row actually) My mom, Kayla, Nin, James, and baby Brooklyn invited me and I couldn't resist. I knew what I would be missing out on if I didn't go. That movie is probably in my top 10 now. Anyway, after the movie, my mom, Googs, and myself stopped at Chili's on our way home. The food was great and we almost ate everything in site. I guess all of that food made us a little silly and we started playing a game. Have you ever played the game that you give another person a situation then they have to pull a face according to how they would react in that situation? We had a really good time and laughed so hard. We were the annoying people in the place that just won't stop. I guess that's okay once in a while right?! I wish I could remember every situation, but since I waited so long to post this I can't. My mom is going to kill me when she sees the beautiful pictures of herself, but I think my mom is so much fun and pretty no matter what face she is pulling. The game comes pretty naturally to Kayla. Go figure...haha. Me on the other hand, I'm not so good at it. It also didn't help that I had a booth full of cops watching me. My mom and Kayla had no one sitting so they could be seen. Anyway, enjoy these pictures before my mom makes me take them down. I think it shows just how much fun these girls are!! Love you both!!

Oh, it was pretty late too. We can blame some of the silliness on that too

Afraid of the dark!!

2011-10-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

Last night my nephew had his 3rd birthday party. He is so cute and I cannot believe that he is 3 already. Anyway, onto to the point of my post. Instead of making sure I watered the mink before I went to his party, I had to go over in the dark. I'm afraid of the dark in my own house let alone outside surrounded by animals, blowing wind, and complete darkness. Luckily, my husband is a prepared hunter and left me with a really cool Browning headlamp. Yes, just like the one below.

The work I was doing required both of my hands. I wore the headlamp, yes, on my head. I know when you are in the mountains, looking for the animal that you just shot from 300 yards away, walking around in the dark, wearing the headlamp does not look stupid. While watering the mink too late, yes, I looked like a real winner. I hope you have a visual right now. This is another one of those times that I can say, "lesson learned". I will no longer be watering the mink in the dark for a few reasons. As cool as I felt wearing the headlamp that left a really nice kink in my hair, I feel as though that should be a last time experience. I was also really afraid of the dark that my headlamp was not reaching. Also, just in case you were wondering, I did sing "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" to try to keep unwanted animals away. Now I am just waiting for my "Wife of the Year" award to show up. Is it maybe too much that I am awarding myself with this honor?

Running Running Running

2011-10-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

I have had really good intensions of updating this darn blog multiple times in the past month. I do have a few good excuses though. For some reason, the internet at my house has not been working for a really long time. If that is not enough, I feel like I spend every waking moment of my life taking care of mink or doing someone's hair. Granted doing hair is my job so I am totally okay with that part. So you can accept my excuses just to make me feel okay about ignoring my blog.

Work hasn't seemed so bad because I haven't been working that much. Since I have taken over the mink duties, I only work at the salon 2 sometimes 3 times a week. I enjoy going to work most of the time, as it is time away from the mink. I am on the countdown. I have 2 and a half weeks left of playing mother to 2800 little devils. I wish I could say that I will miss feeding them or chasing them up and down the isles of the shed. I can't though. I can already feel a little relief knowing that I'm so close to being done. I will GLADLY give the reigns back to Chandler.

For the past 3 weeks I have been trying to find time to make it to the temple. I seriously felt like I hadn't been in years. I promise it has only been a couple months though. I have only been able to actually go in for almost 2 years. I still get nervous that I'll do something wrong or mess up somehow. Anyway, I made going to the temple number 1 on my priority list. We all know how Satan works though. I swear he was doing anything and everything to keep me from going. Then again I think the mink are the devil.... The feed cart (my really cool and old machine that makes feeding easier) would not pump the feed this morning. Even though I knew I would have to hurry and get my chores done in order to be able to make it to the temple, I dusted off the wheelbarrow and started feeding by hand. It only took me like 45 minutes longer than with the feed cart, but it put me behind just enough that I felt a little flustered. I don't handle stress well, and being behind makes me stress. I can proudly say that I showered and was out the door, in like 25 minutes flat. It usually takes me 45 minutes. Needless to say, I made it to the temple. I can't believe I don't go more often. I always feel 110% better about everything going on in my life. I can now sleep better at night knowing I finally made it.

Now I get to look forward to the weekend, which means Chandler will be home. Yay for the weekend!!! Oh, and only 8 more weeks until my little brother gets home from his mission!! So many good things to look forward to!!

Now I'll apologize for such a long post with 0 pictures. Sorry about that....

Lessons Learned in the past 2 weeks

2011-09-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post, hunting season has started. Chandler is gone Monday through Saturday. That leaves yours truly to take care of the animals. I have learned so many things about myself and the ranch.

1- I am not as fast as the mink. Don't even try to keep up!!
   I have tried to chase the mink up and down the isles around the field and even in my dreams/nightmares. They move so quickly. It's easier to send Roxie out after them. Lesson Learned
2- I DO NOT handle extra pressure/stress well...AT ALL.
   The first day Chandler was on the mountain, I got to the sheds to realize there were mink out everywhere. My eyes filled with tears and my heart sank to my stomach, which felt like it was already on the ground. I called my mother-in-law (she's great, but what can she do that I can't)(okay she's not afraid of the mink like I am). She called my brother-in-law who came down with his wife and 2 year old. Thank goodness because I was frozen with fear and it was all I could do to keep myself from crying my eyes out. Once my brother-in-law took control and captured every single free beast in that place, I started to feed. What do you know, I got a flat tire on the feed cart that was full of feed and teetering to one side. Breakdown numero two of the morning!!! To shorten this story, Chandler and his dad ended up coming down from the mountains to help get things under control. Luckily, Chandler was really good to me and didn't yell at me like I thought he might.
3- I am not much of a handy man.
   I have tried to rig up a few things or fix a few things. They never look pretty and most of the time they do not work. I did not get my Grandpa Petersen's ability to invent my own little gadgets. I'll work on that one.
4- My favorite of all!! I AM BECOMING BRAVE!!
   Mink are very delicate animals. They die very easily. When I noticed a few days ago that there was a mink that was no longer going to need my care, I just left it because I didn't know how in the world I was going to remove it from its pen. It had 2 other roommates that were very much alive. Last night Chandler reminded me how much that one mink is worth and that it was important that I toughen up and take the mink out so it could still be used. So this morning after my brother-in-law and I finished feeding, I knew it was time. I had to face my fear and put my arm in with 2 living, breathing, fierce mink to save the fur of the dead one. It took me a few minutes and lots of talking to myself out loud. I reached in and pulled my hand back out just as fast. I was scared to death. My brother-in-law offered to do it for me, but I knew I had to just do it. Finally I reached in and grabbed that mink and got it over with. I DID IT!!! It may not seem like much to you that haven't seen the teeth of these animals. It's a big deal for me so I'm going to keep being proud of myself for it.
5-The most important of all!!! Family is always there for you.
   My in-laws have been the most helpful and supportive people ever as I am trying to keep our paycheck (the mink) alive. I have had help almost every single day, and I know they have their own busy lives to live. I am so lucky to have married into such a wonderful family. No wonder my husband is so amazing. He has been surrounded by amazing people his whole life.

Here's to making it through the first 2 weeks and to surviving the next 6. Oh hunting season, please give my husband back!!

The Crush

2011-08-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hunting season is Chandler's favorite time of the year. He is excited for it year round. I did not grow up around it so it took some getting used to for me. This year some of Chandler's hunting idols came to Utah to hunt with the family outfitting company. Lee and Tiffany have a hunting show on the Outdoor Channel called The Crush with Lee and Tiffany. He was a faithful viewer of the show until we got married. We didn't have the hunting channels on our plan. A few weeks before they came, he called and made the needed adjustments so he could watch them and a few other favorites again. He was like a kid on Christmas eve the night before they came. We met them at a local gas station to take them up to camp. Chandler got out of the truck and started talking to their camera crew and the bus drivers. I stayed in the truck for a while because I didn't want to seem like a groupie or something. I'm sure they get sick of being bombarded with people all the time so I tried to stay behind the scenes. From my experience, they were all nice people and I'm excited to have them out to hunt again next year. They said they had a good enough time to come back again. I'm so glad because Chandler really enjoyed being around them and their crew. He actually made pretty good friends with one of the camera guys. I'm glad Chandler was able to have this fun experience. I wasn't in the mountains with them so I can't tell you anymore of a story than I already have. Maybe by next year, I'll be an avid hunter myself. We'll see about that one.

(Chandler's brothers Garrett and Stephan with Lee and his big buck)

(The Crush Bus)

(Lee and Tiffany...This is not from their hunt...Just a pic from their facebook page)

The Big 22

2011-08-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

This year I outdid myself....completely!! Chandler has been telling me how badly he has wanted a dirt bike since I can remember. I am not a fan of them because I just see danger. He, on the other hand, sees all around fun. About a week before his birthday, he told me his sister and brother-in-law were getting rid of their bike and, of course, asked me if he could buy it from them. LIGHTBULB!! I pulled out my amazing acting skills and went off on him about how I never wanted one of those things to ever be in my garage or any where near by. As soon as he left, I text his sister to start my birthday shopping. We put together a secret plan. I had to work the morning of Chandler's birthday, but I woke up so excited to give him his gift. Earlier in the week, Chandler had ordered some new camo for hunting season. I kept telling him that the camo could be for his birthday. All day I let Chandler think that he had gotten his birthday gifts in the mail a few days ago. Around 7:00, Chandler's amazing sister and her husband pulled into the driveway with Chandler's gift in tow. As he walked out the door to see his new bike he got the biggest smile on his face. I knew I scored some major points. It made me so happy to make his birthday wish come true. Chandler is the best husband and would do anything for anyone. It was his turn to have something done for him. I love him like crazy. Now I'm thinking, how am I going to top this one. I'm not sure it's possible.

(here is his new baby)

Love you Chandler

Just a little bit of fun!!

2011-08-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Chandler and I have been super duper busy this summer. I was hoping for a little bit more of a fun filled summer, but I can't complain. We have had some fun. I wish I was better about taking pictures... Here is just a tiny account of our summer fun.

Chandler's brother has been keeping his horse in the field behind our house. Chandler has had a little bit of fun on that big animal.
We have only been in the mountains a couple times together, but the times that we have been have been great! I took this picture on our way down. The mountains are the best place to be. I hope we get the chance to get back up there a few more times before hunting season starts. Less than a month :(...

Those Summer Nights!!!

2011-08-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have neglected this poor blog long enough. I kept thinking, I'll blog when I have something exciting happen. Exciting things happened (mixed with semi-exciting things) and the blog still remains untouched. I'm still working on finding some motivation.

I have been loving the BEAUTIFUL summer sunsets. I have taken so many pictures of them but my phone just can't even begin to give the great scenes justice. Enjoy!!

(This is the view from my yard)

Easter Eggs!!

2011-04-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Friday night the fam got together and enjoyed the great Easter tradition of dying eggs. The thing I loved most about it is getting to be around some of the people that I love the most. We always have a good time.

(Mom getting after it)

(Haley and Chandler)

(Googs and Judd)

(Haley and Chandler)

(Googs and Haley)

(Haley and Judd)

(Chandler's favorite egg...His deer horns)

(My mildly handi football egg)

(Kind of cheesy I know...haha)

The next night we all picked one egg and we raced them down the road in the dark. Haley was the big winner. I lost mine about half way down the road. I found it on our way back up the hill though. I'm so thankful for the family time we spend together!! I love them all so much!

Panoramic Eggs!!

2011-04-25T19:51:00.000-07:00

My Mother-In-Law had all the girls over to decorate panoramic eggs! It was really fun. There were so many cute things to decorate the eggs with. I struggle with creativity anyway, so I had my niece Jade help me pick things out. She was such a good helper. It was fun to take a few hours out of the day to spend it with the girls. I hope we do it every year from here on out!

(In the process...I was probably really struggling at this point.)

(Inside my egg)

(The finished product)

(Inside the egg I made for Chandler...He just wanted to eat the frosting)

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2011-04-20T22:18:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law is such a good cook. The other day she shared a really easy sweet and sour chicken recipe with me. Chandler loves it so it's a win win situation for me.

Egg Wash
1/2 cup Corn Starch
4 chicken breasts (I cut mine into strips)

Dip chicken in egg wash followed by the corn starch.
Brown chicken on both sides.

1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 1/2 cup Sugar (kind of a lot I know, but it's so good)
2 Tbls. Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Ketchup
1 cup Vinegar

Place browned chicken in a baking dish.
Pour sauce over the chicken.
Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes (25 to 35 minutes for strips)
Serve with rice.

(right out of the oven)

(don't judge...paper plates make for easy clean up)

Cokeville Chaos!!

2011-04-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend was my Great-Grandma Dayton's funeral. Most of the family came on Friday. It was so fun to get together with so many people that I love. My family is so entertaining. Chandler is still trying to figure out why I love to go to Cokeville to sit and talk. That's about all that we end up doing (besides eating until we are sick) when we go up there. I love catching up with everyone and hearing memories and stories that I wasn't around to experience. Both nights we were up there, we didn't go to bed before 2:00 A.M., where I'm usually in bed around 10:30 every night. We all have a little bit of Grandma Dayton in us because we hate to miss out on things. We all have to coordinate going to bed because going to bed early means that you miss out on a fun story or something else. I'm so thankful for the family I have!! I love them all so much!!

(Everyone sitting around listening to childhood memories from my Grandma Carol and some of her siblings) (Grandma Dayton at my reception. She was around for the whole day of festivites. She really hated to miss out on family things)

I'm so thankful for the example that Grandma Dayton is to me. She lived such a great life and touched so many people. The chapel and overflow were packed during her funeral service. I want to be like Grandma Dayton when I grow up!

The Happiest Place on Earth!!

2011-04-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm really slow on this post, but I was able to go to the Happiest Place on Earth with my mom and 2 younger sisters in March. We went for a cheer competition and made a trip out of it. We went to Disneyland and had a blast. I'm so glad I was able to share this experience with my mom and sisters. Now I can't wait to go back, hopefully someday soon!!

(my sisters caish and I after church in Cali)

(space mountain- it hurt mom's neck a little...haha)

(Googs and I on the shuttle to Disneyland on the last day) (Googs with her super cool 3D glasses for the Toy Story ride)

(Screamin' California ((my favorite ride)) with mom, googs, and sierra)

(waiting in line)

(Suzette was a little afraid of heights on the Ferris Wheel)

(Alyssa and Googs being goofs)

(Haley and I waiting in line)

(Googs and Sierra with little Lyssa)

(Waiting for the Tower of Terror (most scary ride ever))

(We filled the whole elevator with our group)

(I came home to a dozen of these pretty pink roses. My husband missed me.)

Living for the WEEKEND

2011-03-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

Friday night...

We decided to go to dinner at the busiest place ever.

We waited almost an hour for a table.

We had bigger eyes than stomachs.

We left way too full.

Saturday Night...

We went to a banquet for the MDF.

We sat at a table with 8 strangers.

People watching was our best entertainment.

We were served dinner.

We made it home by midnight.

Kind of LAME post, I know. I had to limit my words or this would have ended up being a really long post. I will say that I am so happy that I got to spend a lot of time with Chandler this weekend. I just love him to death!!

GRUMPY!

2011-03-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

Which of the seven dwarfs are you? If you ask my husband which one I have been lately. He would probaby tell you without hesitation...GRUMPY. I'm not sure what my problem has been lately. After Chandler has told me (multiple times) that I need to stop being so grouchy, I've decided to set a goal for myself. I need to work on my attitude toward my poor husband. I pledge to do my best this week to be really nice and more positive!

Here's to my effort of transforming from Grumpy

TO HAPPY!!

MONDAY AND MY MOM

2011-03-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

Monday morning I took my mom to get a small procedure done in Evanston, WY. Yes you read that right. I took her to a hospital in Evanston. We had to be there by 7:30 in the morning. I usually get out of bed around that time. Let's be honest. I'm not really out of bed by 7:30. Anyway, that's beside the point. My mom was really nervous for this event because she hates being put out. She seriously visited the bathroom like 4 or 5 times in less than an hour. The last time I got to accompany her because she had an IV in her arm. I had to keep telling myself that this was preparing me for when she is old and in diapers. I'm sure I'll get the opportunity to change a few of those for her. She was able to tell the anesthetist that she usually gets sick every time she has been put out. Luckily they were able to give her some meds to keep that from happening. She ended up only being out for less than half an hour which was nice for me. The Dr. came and talked to me right after her surgery to tell me what to expect and how things went. Apparently he told my mom the same things, but she was still so out of it that she couldn't remember that he even talked to her. I was taken back to the recovery room to help her get dressed and ready to go. As soon as I saw her, I could tell she was still a little loopy. I sat down beside her and she kept sighing really loudly. Then she'd ask me the same questions over and over. Finally, she was with it enough to get dressed. I took her home and we just relaxed the rest of the day. I'm so glad I was able to spend the time with my mom and take care of her. For all that she has done for me in my life, it's the least I could've done. I love you MOM!!!

She looks so excited before. She's so little. She was just swimming in her hospital gown.

FOR MY NIECE!!!!

2011-02-24T12:13:00.000-08:00

The day after Nin told me that she and James were having a girl, I went straight to the store to get to work on the baby's blanket. Now I'll be honest in saying that I'm not the most crafty. In fact, I'm far from it. This however, is a really cute and easy blanket that looks like a lot of effort went into it.

(obviously these top squares are not the same as the real blanket. they were for my friend's first baby. I just forgot to take pictures at the start of my niece's blanket.)

After cutting each square before I put it through to washing machine, I realized I had gotten a blister. It had popped before I noticed it was there. Before bed I was worried about the extra skin snagging on my sheets or on a blanket. We were out of bandaids. Pictured below is Chandler's homemade bandaid for me. What a sweet boy!! He's quite the thinker!!

2011-02-23T16:18:00.000-08:00

Here's to 5 years... and MANY more to come

I just love this boy!! I mean MAN...

A little V-day Love

2011-02-16T10:48:00.001-08:00

My sister will be so proud of me. I'm finally blogging again.

I went through a stage where I worried what my husband was going to say about what I had posted. He loves to tease me and give me a hard time. We'll just say that he doesn't get it.

This Valentine's Day was a pretty relaxed one. Chandler had to get a lot of work done before we could even think about doing anything or go anywhere. So we decided dinner at our favoite place was all we needed. Asian Star is our favorite date night spot. The food is oh so good and the service is usually really good too.

We always start out with THE best lettuce wraps either of us has ever eaten. I could eat just this for a meal.

The Szechuan Pork has been our most favorite thing of all times. We never come to this place without ordering it.

Oh the goodness of the Walnut Shrimp. It is a new favorite of ours. I usually fill up on it and make myself sick. I could eat this shrimp every day of my life and never be sick of it.

Christmas Craziness!!

2010-12-28T18:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas week is always such a crazy week for my family and me. It all starts out 4 days before Christmas. That day just happens to be my birthday. This year I'm more grown up I guess because I decided to just work my normal shift because I didn't really have anything planned. Chandler had driven me to work because we had gotten snow dumped on us the night before. He also had to come get me. I'm so glad that he loves me that much!! He also loves me enough to buy me the gift that I have been wanting so badly. He got my a sewing machine. I'm so excited to start using it. As of right now, I don't have any material to start on my projects so I've just been looking at the machine for the past week. I hope to get going soon.

Chandler knows how to spoil me. For Christmas he got me a kindle. I know that this was a sacrifice for him because I know he doesn't like when I read. He would much rather have me focused on him than a book. I'm a nerd though and I love to read. Christmas was so much fun for us.

I took a chance this year and went all out for Chandler. He has wanted an xbox for so long. I haven't been a big fan of the idea...ever. I don't like the idea of wasting away in front of the tv. Luckily, for Chandler, I decided that with a new Kinect you don't spend much time on the couch. We could be active and have some fun at the same time. I bought some really fun games and I am so glad I got the system. My one rule though, is that I'm not allowing any human shooting games. I'm okay to get a hunting game or something, but I'm not okay hunting humans.

I hope everyone has had a great holiday season. Happy New Year!!!

Date Night

2010-11-15T17:53:00.000-08:00

It had been quite some time since Chandler and I had gotten to have a little free time at the same time. Friday night we decided was date night. We went to dinner in Park City then headed over to Best Buy to get a new cover for Chandler's phone. While there we picked up the night's entertainment.At Best Buy we bought ourselves a few treats to snack on during the movie. I picked out those sour watermelon things, and Chandler wanted a rice crispy...Easy enough... We snuggled up on the love seat and pushed play. We saw this movie while it was in theaters, but had forgotten so much of the in between funny stuff. We laughed and had a good time. Believe it or not, I actually stayed up through the whole movie. I don't even remember the last time that has happened.

Both of us worked all day on Saturday and were completely worn out by the time we made it home. However, we had so much fun on Friday night, we decided to do it all over again. We ran to Park City to pick up a few items from Wal-Mart, just to mix it up a little. We stopped and gave in to the wonderful world of Arby's. I know, I know... It's not the most healthy place, but hey, I didn't eat all of my fries or my sandwich. I saved myself from a few calories. We ended the night on the couch watching this great movie...
What can I say, we're suckers for a good comedy here and there. Again, we saw this movie in theaters but it's a good one to add to the DVD collection. It takes me back to all the good times that I had with my friends in high school. I can picture us having a fun reunion just like on the movie... Even though we have a girls night once a month if possible.

Such a good weekend!!! I love you Chandler Jaymes!!

Guilty Pleasures....

2010-10-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

While Chandler has been gone I have let myself go a little overboard with a few of my guilty pleasures...

I found out that the mexican fast food place half a block from my work has churros. Oh my goodness...I could eat a few of these everyday. I used to just get them at State Basketball every year as a fun treat. Now they are calling my name four days a week...Darn those churros.
My mother has introduced me to the new m&m's candy. Pretzel m&m's are so so so good. The texture, the taste... Oh so good.

With the snow fall and cold weather of the past week, I have given into having a cup of hot chocolate a few times at night. My favorite flavor is the chocolate raspberry mixed with a little bit of the french vanilla. I have mixed those two flavors for years. I used to drink it in the summer time even.

I know, I know, it's sad that my life has come to this. I think that these guilty pleasures will be more limited since Chandler's time as a guide is coming to an end... TOMORROW IS HIS LAST DAY. He has been sure to let me know that he will still be hunting until about November 20th. That is when the elk hunt ends and his dad and a few of his brothers have tags. At least he'll come home at the end of every day!!! I'll take any time I can get with him right now. I can't believe it has almost been a year since we got married. The time has flown by. That also means that my brother has almost been out for a year. He's been out for 11 months. I hope the time continues to go fast!!

Extenions...YAY!!

2010-10-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

Today was a very good, educational day for me. I took an extention class. I have been debating taking the class for a very long time. I have been out of school for almost 2 years and have done nothing about it. On Facebook (my outlet to the world) I saw a special on a class and just decided to go for it. My sister, Kayla has wanted extentions since my oldest sister Melinda had them for her wedding. If you know Kayla (Googs if you're a close friend or family member) she has the thickest, longest hair ever. She has been asking me if she could be my model when I learned. The day finally came. She told me that it felt like Christmas morning. She hardly slept last night. I picked her up at 8:45 to be to my 10:00 class. I like to be early rather than late...unlike most of my mom's side of the family. Googs could hardly contain herself when she realized we had to wait an extra 20 minutes to start putting the extensions in. It took about 3 hours start to finish with all the extra stop's and go's for the educational stuff. Her hair is now twice as thick, about 4 inches longer in the back and about 6 to 8 inches longer in the front where it usually frames her face. She loves it and I'm excited to say that I did it! I couldn't have asked for a better model! Love ya Googs!!
The class only cost me $299 exactly. I just hope I'm able to make back what I spent on the class through time. If you want extensions or know of anybody wanting extensions...YOU KNOW WHO TO CALL NOW!!! I'm so excited. I love learning new things!!

Chandler's Other Love

2010-09-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

During the fall you can always find Chandler on the hill. He guides hunts for his dad and brother's outfitting company, Red Creek Outfitters. He starts guiding September 1st and is done somewhere about mid November. This past week he had a hunt of his own. He drew out on a Wasatch tag this year, which I'm told is a huge thing. He was so excited. He spent every waking moment out on the hill. He was up before the sun and didn't get home until hours after it had gone down. He worked so hard to find the elk he got. He'd come home and tell me that the hunt wasn't about getting the biggest animal he could fine. He said it was about the experience and memories. Oh th memories!! I was able to go hunting with him on my day off. He got me up around 4:30 in the morning so we could get over in our spot before the sun came up. It took me forever to actually get myself to wake up. I finally woke up once we'd driven about 45 minutes and unloaded the 4-wheeler. We got out to a point on a hillside so we could look down through a small canyon. After about an hour of cow calling and everything, Chandler got up to take off for a bathroom break. He went to the other side of the hill where there were some thick bushes so noone would see him. I stayed in our spot and just watched for some elk. Next thing I know, there is a 5 point elk (meaning each side of its horns had 5 points) standing right in front of me. It came running up the hill thinking there was a female elk waiting for him. Instead he got me. I know that it's really important to hold still so that you don't scare off the animals. I knew he wasn't big enough for Chandler to shoot, but I didn't want to ruin the chances of maybe a bigger bull finding his way to our spot. I was frozen in fear for a good full minute. He just stared at me trying to figure out what was going on. I moved a little bit to see if Chandler could see what was going on and the bull took off running. I thought for sure he was going to charge once he found out that we were just teasing him by cow calling earlier. Luckily I seemed scarier to him than he did to me. My heart was pounding so fast that I thought for sure it was going to just stop. I had never been so close to a bull elk that was still alive. He was standing no more than 10 yards from me. If that's not scary then I don't know what is. We didn't kill anything that day but it was still so fun to see Chandler in action and doing something he loves so much. It may take him away from me for 2 months of the year, but I could never tell him he couldn't do something he loves. On the last day of his hunt, he killed his elk with about 10 minutes of sunlight left. His first shot was from about 740 yards away and ended up getting his kill shot at about 800 yards. His friend Josh was with him. They have both been hunting their whole lives so they were pretty quick about gutting and carrying the bull back to the 4 wheeler. He got home at about 12:30 that night. I was so glad to have a happy husband at home!! I love him to death! He's been so good about dragging me along even though it probably means he can't hike as far or stay as long. We've had some pretty good times hunting together. I'm so grateful for the memories!!

BFF's

2010-09-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

I have the very best friends in the world. Yes I know, how lucky can one girl get?!! When my parents moved me to Coalville when I was 14 I thought my life was over. I was leaving everything I ever knew and everything that made me comfortable. I was leaving 2 of my best friends that I had made when girls were so easy to get along with. I was so worried that I would never find friends in Coalville. After a few months, I was finally getting comfortable enough to step out. Since then I have had so many great memories. I have 6 amazing friends that I wouldn't trade for the world. Who knows where I would be without them. They were there through all of my breakups and messups. I just love them to death.

This was just a few weeks ago. We got together for the September birthdays.

They all came and spent my wedding day with me. What a long day for them!!

This was our senior trip to Mexico. Oh the memories!!

This was our Christmas party at my house just this last year.

I just love these girls so much. I realize how lucky I am to have friends that still get together and still have just as much fun as when we saw each other every day. Now we're all grown up and live in different places, but that can't keep us apart. I love my girls!!

NOT GOOD!!

2010-09-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

I was reading through my posts and realized something really NOT GOOD!! I am such a complainer! So I have decided to work on my complaining by posting about the things I am thankful for. I have been so blessed and have such a great life.

I am thankful for...

Chandler... He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He always makes me laugh when I find myself crying or sad. He provides a great life for me. I love him like crazy.

My house... Before Chandler and I got engaged, we were offered a cute little log home with no rent. We would only have to take care of the property and the main house close by. What a blessing! I think the Lord has blessed us with a perfect living situation.

The moon... I know this is weird, but lately I have found it comforting to look out my window at the moon and think that Chandler is looking at the exact same moon. He may be up in the mountains while I am still at home, but it makes me feel like he is closer than he really is.

The church... Where in the world would I be without the church?! To have the gospel in my life has been such a blessing. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have the Holy Ghost or prayer to help me through the tough times.

The priesthood... I can't even count how many times I have needed a priesthood blessing and have been able to have at least one priesthood holder in my home. There were the father's blessing the night before the first day of school. There were the blessings when I was so sick I thought I'd never get better. There were the blessings when I was having a hard time in my life and needed some direction and comfort.

My job... I may not always want to go to work, but I am so thankful to be employed. I love the people I work with. It's always a boost to walk in the door and have such great people to be there with.

The list could go on and on. I have a life that is full of great and wonderful things. I'm so lucky to be me!

Happy Late Birthday to the Hubby

2010-08-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHANWER!!

I'm super behind on here but what can ya do? Monday the 16th was Chandler's birthday. He is such an easy going guy. We spent the day together, but he didn't want to do anything special. We did go to Home Depot to get him an air compressor. On our way home we had a conversation that made me realize how mature he is for his age. He was saying that he had things that he shouldn't have until he's an older man. Instead of getting fun toys and stuff he owns a lawn mower, a snow blower, and now an air compressor. I had to laugh. It's so true. He's been so good to make sure things are taken care of instead of having fun like most 21 year old guys. He takes care of me and our cute little homestead so well. I just have a few more days with him until the hunt starts. He'll be on the hill Monday through Saturday for the next two months. I am already missing him and he hasn't even left yet. I sure do love this boy!!

2010-07-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here all alone in my spacious home. Well it feels spacious when I'm the only one here. It's going to be pretty darn spacious for the next 3 months. What in the world am I going to do with myself?!!! Chandler is leaving for Las Vegas for a month to work on the airport. He has warned me that this job is going to take clear until the freakin' fall. Do you know what happens when fall comes? He is in the hills Monday through Saturday. I am so thankful that he has a job and is able to provide for us. I just seem to have a problem with the jobs he has. I try not to complain to him about it, but like I said at the first, I get so darn lonely. I need a hobby or something to keep me busier. My calling in Young Women's has proven to be more work than I had anticipated. It is good for me though. So any suggestions on something to do to keep me busy would be fabulous. I need to keep my mind from remembering how much I miss Chandler somehow!!!

ONLY ME...

2010-07-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

What a day!!! So Chandler is gone to Boise, ID for work this week so he has put me in charge of the animals. If you know me, animals are not my thing. I do what I have to and keep it to the minimum. Well yesterday I was feeding the dogs and Roxie's pen is in the field with 2 mules...Moses and Jenny. I guess when I finished feeding I didn't completely secure the gate the proper way. 10 minutes later I get a phone call from my husband that is clear in Idaho. When I answered he asked, "Are you missing something? Like 2 large animals...". Apparently the mules realized the gate would be easy to open. Our neighbor has Chandler's number and called him when she saw the beasts out of the field. By the time I got outside the mules were half way up the street. JUST MY LUCK!! Luckily I have some amazing neighbors that know what they are doing with horses or in my case, FREAKIN' MULES. I only had to chase them up and down the road for like 10 to 15 minutes in my flip flops. Needless to say, the mules are back in the field with a very secured gate. I even tied it shut with some bailing twine. There is no chance they are getting out now! If they do, I give up!This morning around 4 am I was awakened by one of our boxers. He was barking and howling at who knows what. After a minute or 2 of this I realized he was on the wrong side of the house. He had gotten out of his pen and was running around. Well we have some people staying in the main house on the property and they don't like our dogs. So of course I panic and run outside to take care of the situation before I have a few angry people giving me a hard time. Of course he knows he is in trouble so I couldn't get him to come to me and he wouldn't get in is pen. I chased him around for an hour before I got him back in his pen. Thank goodness for bailing twine because that's how I fixed the hole that he got out of. I swear if one more thing happens while Chandler is gone, He is not aloud to leave me alone with animals again!!! I can't wait for him to come home!! Hurry up Friday!

* These are not really my animals. The pictures were just really close to what they actually look like

Weekends Should Come More Often

2010-06-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a pretty darn good one. Friday night when I got home from work Chandler and I couldn't think of anything to do to get out of the house. Neither of us felt like going out into public (you shouldn't be suprised). So for the heck of it, we went out on a little drive around the town just like we used to do in high school...OH THE MEMORIES! We used to drive around for hours just talking and laughing. For some reason we never got bored with each other. I know like it seems like it was wasted gas, but for us it was a good stroll down memory lane.

Saturday was my little sister Kayla's (Googs) birthday. She turned the big 17!! After I got off work (I absolutely HATE working on Saturdays) our family went out to dinner to celebrate. We went to good ol' Schezwan. That place is a never fail kind of place to eat for us. My parents were there. My older sister and brother-in-law were there. They brought along my brother-in-law's twin brother and his wife, which we love to visit with because they are so much fun. Then of course, Chandler and I were there. Kayla and her "friend" Judd were there, and Haley brings up the tail as usual. It was a good time. I think we stayed longer than they wanted us to because there were a bunch of people that got there way after us that left way before us. We just know how to have a good time. After dinner was cake...if you know my family there is always going to be more food!! My mom made some "Better than sex cake" in her case it is "better than most anything cake".

On Sunday after church Chandler and I headed up to the cabin to get some cleaning in before my ward goes up there for Young Women's camp. I have never vacuumed up so many flies in my life. They were in every nook and cranny in that place. Besides the flies, the cabin was pretty clean. On our way down Chalk Creek we saw a lamb on the side of the road trying to get back on the right side of the fence. He looked so sad! (I just decided he was a boy because of how fast he was.) Chandler and I felt bad for him so we pulled over to help him get back on the other side of the fence. The poor thing was scared to death and ran everytime we came close to him. After many attempts to catch the little stinker, Chandler snagged the lamb (just like in his football glory days...haha). He didn't tackle him. He just had to dive to get ahold of him. We put him over the fence and headed for home. I can honestly say that being around Chandler for so long is kind of turning me into an animal person. I probably would have just left the lamb a few years ago. Chandler is an animal lover and would have more animals if I would let him. He has made me a better person in so many ways and that is just one example. I just love that boy!!

HELP!!

2010-05-19T08:32:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting at my computer at 9:30 and thinking of all the things I should be doing rather than the things I am currently doing (wasting my time on the computer). I know of a bathroom that needs to be cleaned, some dishes that need to be done, and the list goes on. Obviously, I'm seriously lacking self motivation. I always feel guilty when Chandler comes home from work to a messy house and he asks me what I've done that day. I have to answer him with little things like, I made the bed or I put away my breakfast mess, rather than the big things I should really be doing. So I am going to make myself a goal and stick to it for as long as I can. If you know me, I'm really good at sticking to something for a good 2 weeks then it's down hill from there. My goal is going to be.....Have one BIG cleaning chore for each week day. Hopefully I can keep up with it all. Any motivational tips or hints would be greatly appreciated!!

(No this is not my house but I look at my kitchen sometimes and I feel like I have this big of a mess to actually clean up...)

St. George!

2010-05-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

We have been having so much fun down in St. George for the last few days with my sister and her husband. We've eaten lots and laughed even more! It has been so nice to get away and enjoy lots of sun and good company! We're headin to Mesquite tonight to try our luck and eat more food.

Can't wait for the next trip!

*Update on our cRaZy life!

2010-05-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

* We were married on Nov 18 2009 in the Salt Lake temple

* We live in Wanship in a log home

* We have a dog named Roxie (Boxer)

* I (Whit) work at a hair salon in Park City

* Chandler works for his brother's company

* We are very much looking forward to summer! Lots of fun things ahead!

Life Lately...

2009-07-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

I'm really bad at this whole blogging thing. I have decided that mine might get updated once every 3 or 4 months. I don't have kids to blog about. I don't have a very exciting life to blog about. So unless my life gets really exciting all the sudden, I probably will get an update on here about 4 times a year...haha.

This summer has been a fun one so far!! A couple weeks ago, my family made the long five and a half hour drive (which really feels like 5 days because you can't wait to actually get there) to Lake Powell. Aunt Holly and Uncle Scott are nice enough to give us a turn every other year to spend a few days on their house boat with them. It's always so much fun. We did a lot of wake surfing, swimming, tanning, and even a little tubing. I was so worried about getting sun burnt and being miserable the whole time that I put too much sunscreen on and came home just as white as when I got there. At least the trip wasn't ruined by a bad sunburn. All of the older kids sleep on the top level of the boat under the stars. It stays way warm even during the night down there and I had troubles sleeping. Chandler had the same problem so we kept each other company when sleep wasn't coming very easily. It didn't help that I was paranoid that a huge spider was going to crawl into my sleeping bag with me. There were spiders everywhere and they were all HUGE! That was the only bad part. The rest was so much fun. Even just spending that time with my family is enough to make a good time. I'm so glad I have such a fun family that I know will always be there! I love you all!!

My summer has also consisted of a fishing trip or two. Chandler loves to fish and I must say that it's not as bad as I thought it was before I would actually try it. We take Chandler's little fishing boat out on the lake. He lets me choose the hook I want to use, he puts it on for me, and we're off...the fishing begins. At the first of July, we went out on Echo for an hour or two because I had never been fishing there. I picked a gold colored hook and Chandler rigged it up for me. I caught a few fish before he even had the chance to. We got our limit and were on our way. When we got to his house, he was gutting the fish so we could have them for lunch. He finally talked me into gutting my very first fish. It wasn't my favorite feeling in the world, but I felt very accomplished after. He is so patient with me! Chandler did a very good job cooking them up and we enjoyed our special catch of the morning!! I LOVE FISHING!!

Some time in June a bunch of us went up to Chandler's cabin to enjoy a fire and a movie. We had s'mores (not to complain but the graham crackers were a little old and on the stale side...thanks Cade) I still enjoyed my perfectly roasted marshmallow none the less. The fire was warm and the weather was perfect!! We went into the cabin to watch a movie when we were done with the fire. It was so much colder inside the cabin. I thought for sure I would catch a cold before the night was over. I can't remember what the title of the movie was that we watched but I can tell you one thing, I probably won't watch it again. From now on we'll send other people in to pick out a movie...haha! We took a few pictures but I never have enough. Here are a couple from that night. It took us a few tries to get it right!

All in all my summer has been fun and enjoyable. I hope there is more to come! I'll try to be better about updating this thing! I might need a reminder here and there! Enjoy the rest of your summer everyone!!!

SPRING BREAK

2009-03-30T16:08:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago, Chandler had his first college Spring Break. He's growing up so quickly...haha. He invited me to tag along to the last part of the break. We went up to the cabin for some fun. We went sledding and attempted ice fishing. The pond wasn't completely frozen. There was a few feet of snow followed by a few feet of slush. Yup, that's all that was supporting us. I worry about everything. I was holding my breath the whole time! I guess I'm a wimp! We did have a good time though. Chandler and I got up to the cabin first to check things out and make sure everything was ready. When we got there the deck had a nice large amount of snow and ice on it. Of course, the biggest drift was covering the door. Chandler went straight to work and made a path to the door. We headed back down to meet Josh, Cade, and a girl that Cade brought along. We packed up all of the food and necessities we'd need for the next 72 hours. We went for a ride to start things off. I thought it was fun. Poor Chandler is used to being Mr. DareDevil and I limited his abilities. Chandler was our breakfast chef, and I have designated him as such for the rest of forever. The extent of my helping ability was making sandwiches and being the clean-up crew. The second day we went for a ride. When we got back, Chandler and Josh decided to shovel the deck. This was a huge job because the deck is big and so were the huge piles of snow and ice. I am proud to say that I did help a little with the removal of snow, but spent most of the time being the cheerleader. There were only 2 shovels and even when I did offer to help they told me not to. What gentlemen!! I can't wait until we can go up again. Hopefully we'll have running water by that time!!

2009-01-15T17:50:00.000-08:00

So I'm all but done with school and am ready to move out into the real world of work! If anyone knows of a salon that is hiring, I would be thrilled to get the information from you. I'm looking for a smaller salon setting at least until I'm comfortable with being out on my own. Thanks a bunch!

2009-01-02T20:05:00.001-08:00

So I just got bored tonight and decided to build myself a blog. I honestly don't know what I'm thinking. I'm not very good at keeping things updated. I guess this can be one of my New Year's Resolutions. Hopefully it lasts longer than most of my resolutions do! I've never thought thought that my life was eventful enough to have a blog. We'll see if I try to spice it up just for this reason. I guess just to update you on where I am in my life right now. I just turned 21 on the 21st of December. I never thought I'd see the day that I turned 21. I'm starting to feel old. I'm just about to the point that I take on the title of a licensed cosmetologist. I have just under 100 hours left to apply for my license and couldn't be happier about getting school done and out of the way. I'm really nervous about being out on my own and working. It's good to be in a new situation though. I don't think I would have lasted much longer in school. I have been living with my Aunt Suzanne and Uncle Chuck for the past year, and I'm sure they are ready to have me out of their house and out of their hair. They have been remodeling their house for the past year and a half, and it has been quite the experience. I've loved being with them and getting closer to all of them. Chandler and I have been dating now for 3 years. I can hardly believe it's been 3 years already. I can't even tell you how lucky I've been to have him around. He's such a great guy and is my big teddy bear. He puts up with everything I throw at him. I drag him to all of my family functions and take him anywhere I can get him to go. He's a real sport!