MAKING MY NEW HOUSE PRETTY

So, as anyone who's ever moved knows, there's a lot of rummaging and re-discovering going on. I spent an hour or two going through the box that has all my childhood/high school "stuff," including old birthday cards, yearbooks, photos, you name it. So I was rummaging through them all, and actually found, believe it or not, TWO birthday cards from Grandma and Grandpa that still had the five dollar bills in them!! (No, my grandparents weren't spoilers...I got exactly $5 each year until I turned 18) I felt like I had scored big-time! Haha. and on top of that, I ran across this fantastic letter:

 It just made me laugh so hard I had to put it up!

 This was our dining table for a while. That octagon-ish looking one in the background is finally put up after I spray-painted the legs from gold to black. But we still use the camping chairs :)

This is going to turn into something awesome. Not today, but soon. Wait for it.

Just a yummy something-something I made. Yummy enchiladas with cilantro. Then drizzle that Cafe Rio tomatillo dressing on top...DIVIIIIIIIIINE!!!

 D.I. Halloween decorations. No other way to do it.

 Painted this. LOVE it.

 I'm thinking about putting those little plastic spiders in this webbing, but we have enough REAL spiders in our house I haven't been able to get excited about the idea.

 My little pumpkin patch. We're working on it.

As always, we're a work in progress. I love having my own place to decorate.

We've been staying busy. Phil's studying. I'm working at an office four days a week and reffing volleyball a few nights a week/weekends. Loving it.

And I read the first Hunger Games book in two days. LOVED IT. Ready for Book Two.

PREGNANT

Let me be clear.

We're NOT PREGNANT!

Geez, you know it IS possible for a married couple with no children to have a crisis that can't be announced publicly yet.

And that crisis CAN be something other than pregnancy.

I got called as the Young Women's President in my ward.

Freaking out.

Wait, it gets better.

Phil...Young MEN'S President in our ward.

Yeah. REALLY freaking out.

It hadn't been announced, but I was having a crisis and needed to vent via blog.

My mistake.

HEAVEN HUMOR

Sorry for not having any pictures on the last couple posts - my laptop doesn't want to connect to the BRAND NEW router we just got, and Phil's oh-so-glorious computer doesn't even have a memory drive hook-up. Anyways...

Heavenly Father's been sneaky lately. I can't go into too many details, for reasons I will explain in the near future, but...let's just say that just when I think I've got things figured out and under control, He throws in a whole new game plan. Sigh. Like...crazy. I've had to trust this past week that He knows me and what I'm capable of better than I do. At least I hope so, or we're gonna be in BIG trouble. :)

Inspired by a great talk my friend gave in our ward a few weeks ago, we've been practicing the principle of putting the Lord first and then letting Him bless us. First we tried it with school - we made our spiritual education a higher priority (aka...ACTUALLY reading our scriptures and praying before going to bed) in hopes Phil would get some help in school to stay on top of things, even with his 17 credits and 20+ hours of work/week. Poor man. And lo and behold, he's been doing great! Staying ahead with his reading and homework, and doing well in class!
So with my desperate work situation, we decided to try it out again. This past Fast Sunday we decided to amp up our Fast Offering to match our Tithing, show some faith, and trust He would step up and help us, since this whole "figure things out ourselves" plan was definitely NOT working out. So we paid up, and the very next day I got an offer for a month-long, 2-days-a-week job, which would triple my income. Not bad! Then just two days later I got a call for an interview for a full-time job!! Interview is tomorrow, and I'm driving myself crazy telling myself not to blow it "or ELSE"... but I've been so stunned at how ready and willing Heavenly Father has been to bless us when we simply ask for it and show a little faith by putting Him first. He wants us to do well in school and have stable and comfortable employment. He wants us to be able to afford our bills and be happy, and to think all we have to do is ask for His help! What a brilliant plan! He's been teaching us a lot this summer, and I know we have a few more big lessons coming in the very near future (stay tuned)!

Who does God’s work will get God’s pay, 
However long may seem the day, 
However weary be the way. 
No mortal hand, God’s hand can stay, 
He may not pay as others pay, 
In gold, or lands, or raiments gay, 
In goods that perish and decay; 
But God’s high wisdom knows a way, 
And this is sure, let come what may— 
Who does God’s work will get God’s pay. 
(Anonymous)

SAVING SOULS

So this summer hasn't quite been what I expected. Per my "fool-proof plan," I was supposed to graduate at the end of April, have my license in hand by the end of May, and work full-time all summer, raking in LOADS of kiz-ash (cash), pay off Phil's tuition, rent, and the works, and be on our way to financial independence and freedom from school-loans-debt.
Sigh. It was quite the dream.
Started out strong. Worked part-time until the 4th of July, when, as most of you know, I got fired for not being "perky and bubbly enough." I know. But what's done is done. But the plan was definitely frustrated.
Spent the second half of the summer job-hunting. Not very productive. Did some temping, but nothing sustainable.
Started feeling kinda depressed and useless. Then depressed and useless. Then REALLY depressed and useless. I began to realize that I desperately needed something to take up my time, help me feel useful and productive, but still available to drop off resumes and answer my phone as often as possible. Crafts? Possible, but can be expensive, and not too long-lasting in the "fulfillment" category. Temple? Great idea, great experiences, but not available to answer my phone, which is CRITICAL. Then, during a very enlightening conversation with my cousin Jillian, it hits me.
FAMILY HISTORY.
Hold it right there. Anyone who knows the Packards knows we're HUGE, and pretty much every line has been traced back to at least the 1500s. And I'm an amateur. Like REALLY amateur. So to pick up where other experts left off in the 1500s is pretty discouraging. Ugh...what to do, what to do...
Light bulb.
Oh yeah, I married into another family, and I'm just as responsible for their work as the family I was born into! Done.
So I went to Mom-in-law's house, rummaged through the scarce records she had, and started in-putting names into the computer. Googled Phil's long-lost aunt's name, found someone, ALSO found her on Facebook, and sent her a message. Not Phil's aunt, but still a distant relative. She sent back the name and email address of an even MORE distant relative, who sent a HUGE email list of names. Like 10 generations back, we're talking, and all I had before that was the 5th generation. Needless to say, I was excited. I definitely got hooked to research. Found some more information on some people, and printed out my first family ordinance sheets with 6 names. First in the Leue family too! Phil's great-grandpa and great-grandma, great-grandpa's two brothers, and Phil's great-great grandma and great-great-great grandma.
I took them to the temple, had some youth to the baptisms and confirmations, and Phil and I did the initiatories, and then some other family members got to help us with the endowments while we were all there for Jillian's first time through. Needless to say, it was an amazing and special day in the temple for our family.
Already, the next day, I've got 15 more names to print!
Dental hygiene work is picking up, and volleyball season is just starting as well! I can't wait to resume the "plan" and stick to it a little more closely, but as I'm typing this I'm starting to wonder if one of the reasons Heavenly Father needed me to not be working this summer was so I could realize this need to find our ancestors who have been waiting for their work to be done, and to be the one to get the family started on doing it! It hasn't made our finances any easier to deal with, but I'm sure looking back we'll be grateful for the challenge we were given, and the eternal blessings that we and many others will gain from it!

OPERATION: RELOCATION

So...We're moving. Don't freak out, we're not crossing the plains or any oceans. We're moving about three blocks away from our little one bedroom apartment to a three bedroom duplex, still in our ward boundaries (cuz I have attachment issues). I am so excited to redecorate, get creative, and STRETCH a little!! This little place was perfect when we were first married, but after a year of learning, acquiring, and growing, it's definitely time for a change.

It's been a real learning experience, this move. I really wanted to move in April, and we had a place to go and everything, and all we had to do was sell our contract. It would be a jump financially, but I was about to start working as a Dental Hygienist, and things were looking good. We posted, and advertised, and begged all our friends, and nothing ever happened. I cried and cried out of disappointment and frustration, and we prayed and prayed every day that someone would buy our contract so we could move. Nothing. For weeks we felt so much anxiety and frustration, and we finally kinda realized we might not find someone to take our contract. So we started changing our prayers that Heavenly Father would help us know what He wants us to do so we can best serve our ward and those around us. Then we waited, but kept our ears open. We decided to wait out our contract until August (now) and move at the end of the summer. Tough decision, considering I already had a bunch of packing done (true story). But turns out, I lost my job, which pretty much would have been devastating financially, and we ended up finding an even BETTER deal in our ward! We love our neighbors-to-be, and can't wait to haul in groceries without having to climb up three flights of stairs, and park in our own driveway, and play in the yard, and HAVE a yard, and take the next step in preparing for our future family. Phil's excited for his "man-cave" and I'm just excited to have a place to put everything! I can't wait to put up pictures of my projects!

Oh, and if anyone knows someone who's trying to get rid of a queen mattress/box spring and/or washer/dryer, we still need them!

Oh, and if you're bored on Thursday morning around 9:30, please come help!

GIRL TIME

So lately I've been doing my girly stuff.

First girly activity: Phil went on a campout with the scouts

so I got a weekend to do more job hunting and have a dinner/reunion with my dental hygiene class!! I'm so mad - we took pictures, but I don't see them on my camera so I don't know what happened to them! But anyways, it was SO good to see everybody again and catch up on each others' lives! It's still weird not seeing them all the time. It was a good refresher getting some of Summer's stories, talking about babies, trips, and of course work.
I can't wait for the baby/bridal shower in September!

Then my mom and sister and brother surprised us with a last-minute trip to Utah, and we had tons of fun with them too! Lunch at Red Robin=always good!

(that's right, Addison's looking at me)

Aside from the car breaking down on their way home, it was a perfect little vacation, and SO much fun to spend time with Addison, especially in the pool!
Boy does that baby love to swim!

My next girly "activity" was actually really difficult.
Something I haven't done since high school.

HOLY CRAP WHAT DID I DO??

I like it, but it's not exactly what I wanted, so I'll try it out for a while and see what happens.

Next girly activity: DATING

Yes, I'm dating again. Phil said he wanted me to plan our Friday night date this week, so I busted out my coupons and got working! First we hit Wallaby's, where I officially decided I DON'T LIKE BLUE CHEESE (don't worry Dad, your steaks are the ONE exception) Gag. Plus we ran into my cousin Lachelle and her husband Nate while we were there! Go figure, Packards. :)

After some grubbin' Phil took me to Barnes and Noble to get a crossword puzzle book (cuz he loves me), and then we hit... dun dun dun...

The QUARRY! I have officially discovered a new life's passion. I LOVE ROCK CLIMBING. Neither of us had ever been before, but...I'm hooked. We got trained, demo'd, and warned, and we obeyed! (this picture is of us testing our hooks and knots before climbing) We took turns climbing and belaying, and I just loved it!

If anyone in Provo wants to go with us, I'm totally game! We hit Sub-Zero ice cream on the way home (Raspberry-Lime with citric acid...WARNING...don't get it!) and called it good! Pretty dang good date, if you ask me! :)

Last girly thing: Wife Duties. I woke up at 6:00am and drove with Phil and his friend Nate to watch them play in an Outdoor Volleyball tournament in Park City. ALL DAY.

They placed second in their division, and it was so fun to be that "Supportive Wife" cheering on Phil (plus I got to work on my crosswords book that I just got). By the time we got back, it was 6:00, and I was SO SUNBURNED on my legs! I wore long-sleeves, so my arms were okay, but holy smokes. It's hard to walk.
Or stand. Or sit. Or lay down.

But I love my baby! And I love being a girl!

SNOWMEN...IN JUNE

This was a crafty project Hailey and I thought of to use up her old baby food jars

just getting ready for Christmas

and Halloween

and of course I have to slip in a few NEICE pictures

Yes, it's upside down