Christmas collage

I am hoping to post more about Christmas soon, but here is the new photo collage in our bedroom.  This was the result of some things we already had and some new Christmas gifts.

Sorry it's a little blurry, I had to take the picture with my phone.  It's nice to get some more pictures from our wedding up.  This collage is around my vanity.

(Almost) Christmas

We have been working up a storm getting ready for Christmas this year.  For Oakley, we found the Crayola Sketcher Projector, which was a big hit.  He got it out to play with it right away.  For Callahan, we fed into his Little People obsession.  He almost forgot to open the rest of his gifts.  I would say nephew success for this Christmas!

I also made these gift tags for the Jans Christmas.  They were pretty cool and it was fun for the little guys to be able to tell who the gifts were for.

They were inspired by pinterest here and here.

Josh and I also got pretty creative with some other gifts, but it got so hectic I forgot to take pictures of most of them.  Here is the inspiration:

• DIY Photo Magnets
• Reinbeers
• DIY Wineglass candles

Sorry this is sideways.  I don't have technology skills.

The inspiration for these came from my trip to the vineyard in Winona and the linked pinterest tutorial.

Next up, we have the Sheets family exchange on Christmas Eve.  We have everything done for that, just waiting for the last part of a gift to arrive in the mail and wrapping.

Before December is through we will have a party or two and a wedding!  Looking forward to some good times.

p.s. Josh has an interview on Monday and another one on Tuesday.  Please send warm thoughts and good vibes his way!

Reflections

The program I am in for school has inspired a lot of self-reflection over the last year and a half.  Something that I struggle with myself and know that many students do as well is giving myself permission to be who I really am.  I have been working on this more and more and have been greatly inspired by this quote from Marianne Williams-

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

So remember, even when you feel lost, you are here in this world for a very important purpose.  No one can contribute the way you can.  And whatever you feel called to do, do it with passion.

Happy Saturday!

Happy Thanksgiving

Here are some pictures from our Thanksgiving trip to Wyoming.  We had a really good time with my family and were very impressed with the University and city of Laramie.

Live version of a statue on the University of Wyoming campus

Josh and I at the game

Pretty Wyoming sky

Josh enjoying the bear statue on campus

Dinner on our last night there with everyone

Josh and I with Pistol Pete (or as I call him, Slim Jim)

Too early for the Christmas spirit? Not in this house.

Last weekend, I realized that we will be in Wyoming all next weekend and in Marshall in a few weekends.  I love Christmas so much that I decided to decorate early so we could fully appreciate the Holiday spirit. Don't judge me. I REALLY LOVE Christmas.

Glass block from Grandma Jans Christmas 2011

Getting Pinterest Creative

Christmas Nook

Bringing it into the kitchen

A little DIY to add to the festivities

I know I mentioned in a past post the Thankful Board and Yuck bucket.  Here they are...

The Thankful Board

A while back, we got a ton of free cheese (perks of putting all the effort into planning a program that no one shows up for).  I have been seeing tons of recipes on Pinterest for crockpot macaroni and cheese and was inspired last night to use some of our free cheese.  My last attempt to make homemade mac and cheese was kind of an epic fail, but I was determined.  I used this recipe from the Pioneer Woman (love her!) and altered it a bit to fit what we had.  I added broccoli and hot dogs.  After one bite, I knew this macaroni and cheese deserved steak or something fancy, not hot dogs.  This was BY FAR the best macaroni and cheese I have ever had.

Yum!

I did everything the same except used 4 oz. (half a brick) of reduced fat cream cheese and two cups of colby jack cheese.  For spices I omitted the mustard (and pretty much every other spice she mentions) and added 2 tsp. of cajun seasoning and 1 tsp. of finely ground black pepper.  It was even good the next day without the broccoli and hot dogs.

Look at that smile and empty plate!

Another thing we did was tidy up our bedroom a bit and finally broke out the new, "fancy" comforter we got for our wedding.

Please ignore the basket of dirty clothes and the drying clean clothes and check out our new set-up!

Today I am working on some homework and getting ready to head out for Wyoming on Wednesday.  Josh is really looking forward to the "street nuts" and pumpkin cookies I will be making.  We may also sneak out for a little Christmas shopping.  Only 19 days until the Jans Christmas in Marshall.

Things I love...

There was a lot of negativity in our house lately.  We have been very frustrated with no outlet.  My pinterest motivated mind went to work.

We now have a "thankful board" and a "yuck bucket."  When you are thankful for something, you write it on the board.  It is on the back of our front door, so we get a reminder of the things we are thankful for every time we leave the house.

When something is getting you down, you write it on a slip of paper and put it in the yuck bucket.  That way you can get it out of your head and move on.

On a completely unrelated topic, there is almost nothing better than how much Josh, Chase, and my dad love each other.  It makes me so happy.

For the thankful board today:
1. Family
2. Wine
3. Visits from friends
4. Patina
5. The semester is almost over!

The feeling...

Of wanting something so badly it hurts!

Poor Josh.  He deserves better than this.  Why can't someone see how great he is and just hurry up and hire him?  I am thankful of my recent experience on the other side of hiring for a little perspective and patience in this.  But as anyone who knows me will vouch, I am not very patient.

Something to Ponder

"Barack Obama four years ago said, 'If you don't have something to talk about on the issues you talk about the small things,'" Beeson said in response to a question about women's issues. "And that's what we're seeing from the Obama campaign ... They don't have an issue to run on, they don’t have an agenda for the next term, so they want to talk about the small things and distract America from the important things of restoring and strengthening the middle class and putting America back to work." -Rich Beeson, political director for Mitt Romney's campaign

Women's issues are not a "small issue."  They affect everyone.  By the nature of what the population looks like (52% female), “putting America back to work” has to mean putting women back to work as well.  We need to start valuing the contribution that women have in this world, including the workplace.  This issue directly affects me and many people I love.  I would bet that if you took the time, you would find the same for yourself as well.  Having people with beliefs that dehumanize over half of the population (just on this topic) in power in this country is a step backward.  Please consider me and all the other women in your life when you are casting your vote next month.

Unconditional Love

In hard times, it is very easy to get down on yourself.  I could spend hours, days even, thinking about all of the things that are not going the way I had planned or would like them to go.  Sometimes, when I have time to myself to reflect, I have moments of brilliance.  After finishing The Latehomecomer (which I highly recommend), I realized tonight how many people love me unconditionally.

I am so incredibly blessed with unconditional love from so many.  I have Josh, my family, and more friends than any person could truly hope for.  All of these people love me when I'm at my worst, don't deserve love, and even when they don't understand me.  A true reflection of Jesus and God and the love we receive.  I am surrounded by fantastic, Christ centered people.  Sometimes it takes a weekend of ëxtrëmë ümläütïng and a mediocre church service to remember.

I was fortunate enough to travel with some friends over the first weekend in October.  Such good times with people I do not see nearly enough.

These lovely ladies helping me keep my sanity over a glass of Cranberry Wine at a vineyard in Winona.

I was fortunate enough to have a few more friends over for brunch today and spend the rest of the day with my mom.  Long walks, window shopping, and chats are the stuff therapy is made of, I am sure.  

I am sincerely looking forward to another visit in a few weeks, with many plans for crafts.  I can't wait to start Christmas crafting!  With our financial situation, I sense a homemade Christmas in the works.  Thanks for the inspiration, Pinterest!  I am struggling most with ideas for Josh.  Any suggestions are welcome!

Update on the budgeting: first week went well.  This week, not so much.  Rainbow was having a "souper" sale and we ended up getting a few extra treats and going over our budget.  I wish I could say to Josh's adorable face and the delicious Progresso tomato soup.

Update on homemade laundry soap: works like a dream.  I did more loads than I care to remember (still working on the mental block) yesterday and it help up very well.  Clothes are clean and wallets are not empty.  I would suggest you consider this change to help you save money and help simplify your life.

Last update: Homecoming was last weekend (for the Cobbers and the Tommies, which means I had to work!).  I am really hoping to make it back to Moorhead next year after having to work for the last two years.  The fall concert was last night.  Colbie Callait came to visit.  She is very talented and kind.  Next weekend is my last weekend of duty for the semester.  I sense a lot more time dedicated to homework in the near future.

Another day on the job: Working a private event at Nickelodeon Universe.  No lines, rides all night, and good friends.  I should keep this as evidence of why my job is the best!

Trying some new things

We have been trying a few new things around our house

Thing #1: Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Almonds

These were delicious.  When I told Josh about them, he couldn't stop thinking about them.  We ended up making them that night.  I think we will be making these for Christmas stockings this year!

Thing #2: Buffalo Chicken Pasta

This was pretty good.  Being my mother's daughter, I didn't actually follow the recipe.  I think that I would make it saucier next time.  I also added chopped celery for the last few minutes of sautéing the chicken.  I highly recommend the addition.

Thing #3: Re-Purposing Old Things

This tutorial worked like a charm.  Josh convinced me that I didn't need to get the matching jar for our bathroom set, and now I'm glad I didn't.  I am keeping my cotton pads in this jar.  The hardest part was getting the sticky stuff from the label off the jar.  If you have more patience than I do, it won't be a problem for you.

Thing #4: Deep- Clean of the Apartment

I know, I know, it says spring cleaning.  We are trying to do a deep clean to start off the winter season in a good way.  We are hoping this will give us a good head start for the Holiday season.  An additional benefit is that it gives Josh projects to do.  We currently have done 4 tasks and have 9 to go.  We are aiming for one task a day.

Thing #5: Homemade Laundry Soap

This stuff was WAY easier than I thought it would be to make.  The Fels-Naptha soap smells amazing.  When I was grating it and while it was in the "bucket" stage, our apartment had an amazing scent.  The hardest and most time consuming part is getting the soap from the buckets to the bottles (not really all that hard or time consuming).  We have only done two loads since we made this but it works really well.  No softener needed!  I think we spent $2 on the soap and used half of it, $6 on the borax (it doesn't even look like we used any from the box), $4 on the washing soda (same thing as the borax), and used old milk jugs for storage.  We ended up making 5 gallons.  That means 160 loads.  That comes out to about 7 cents per load (although not technically because we didn't use everything we bought yet).  Can't beat it!

Thing #6: New Grocery Budget

I used many different sites to help us come up with this, but what I ended up doing was adding up everything we spent on groceries for the last few months.  After averaging these out, we decided on a budget that was right for us ($35/week).  After getting more than enough for the week (including some luxury items) at Aldi last weekend for $30, I think we can do it.  I'm hoping this will keep us on track for now (while Josh is working at Staples) and when he gets another job.

Patience

Patience is a virtue... that I do not have and am constantly working on.

It's just really hard to wait for things, especially when they are for someone super fantastic who deserves so much.

Tooting my own horn

I ran a mile straight today for the first time since high school. Go me!

Finding a path

Josh's interviews went really well.  He has a second interview set up for Tuesday.  Both companies said they would like to hire in the next few weeks, so hopefully things move quickly.  In the mean time, he is looking at a part-time gig at Staples.

We thought it might be a good idea since he can keep doing it even after he finds his "career" position.  I have class two nights a week and work many weekends, so that equates to Josh home alone a lot and me feeling guilty.  I think filling that time with something would be really good for both of us.  If only finding that career would be as easy as Staples :)

We are just waiting now on his background check and to make sure that he won't have to work on Thanksgiving since we are planning on going to Wyoming with my parents to visit Chase!  Go Cowboys!

Long Overdue-- More updates

August is crazy time for my job.  We started training (both professional and student) on July 30th and didn't stop until after Labor Day.  It was really nice to give our staff a head start on the year, but I am glad it's over.

On August 23rd, Josh lost his job.  It was really too bad, but we know everything will work out.  Things have been a little stressful around here because of that.  Luckily we had the chance to visit some family for our nephew's birthday party that weekend as a little distraction.

Cuddling with Callahan

We are an awesome aunt and uncle.  Super hero theme? The Incredibles to the rescue.

I have officially started school again, which has been interesting.  One of my classes required taking Strengthsfinder 2.0.  It was interesting to spend a little time reflecting on myself.

We have been working really hard on the apartment and storage units to make our space livable and to reduce the stress of being at home.  Here are some updates.  I did NOT take any before pictures because they were embarrassing and you couldn't even see anything with all the junk blocking your view.

Our "new" dining table 

We love the black and red theme.  In the relatively near future, I would like to recover the chairs because they are very light fabric and kind of stained.  They work for now.  I have also been throwing around some ideas from pinterest for replacing the very awkwardly small picture on the wall.  Shout out to Josh's aunt and uncle for the zucchini.

Cookbook shelf

Recycling some things we already had to make the work for us.  I would like to try a few tricks with this bookshelf, but we will see what happens.  We have so many new cookbooks, can't wait to try them all out.

Built-in "bar"

 One of the things Josh and I both love about our tiny little apartment is all the character in the little details.  When I lived here by myself, I used these cabinets to hold my dishes.  After reorganizing the kitchen a bit, we were able to fit the dishes there and repurpose this awesome detail.  This is now a "bar" to hold all of our great wedding gifts!

Pathetic wall

 Still looking for something for this wall.  We have these things up there to fill some space.  Didn't even bother to pound nails... they were all in the wall when I moved in!  It's hard to buy a lot of things for a space you know you won't be in very shortly, so we are thinking very low budget.

Family Central

Because we have such a small space (and an apartment sized fridge) we have to use the top of it for some storage.  This is home to some of Josh's favorite things (knife block) and my favorite things (spice rack).  It is also home to our calendar, the thing that keeps us connected (thanks workplace freebees!).

I have been putting in a lot more effort to keeping my work schedule to what it is supposed to be.   Last year I let myself work past my schedule, but I am not doing that this year.  Keeping a consistent schedule and working in the morning (almost) makes me feel like an adult.

Latest update is that Josh has a few interviews and we both have memberships to the fitness center on campus.  I picked up running again and Josh is joining me.  Still hoping that I will start liking it soon...

Getting Settled

After coming back from our honeymoon, we immediately went into moving mode.  Josh's parents moved to Florida so we had to move a lot of his things out of their house.  Here is a picture from our last trip to say goodbye to the house.

Saying goodbye

We also managed to sneak in a trip to "the lake," my grandparent's lake home.  It was a good way to keep Josh's mind of his parents' move.

We are working on getting settled in our new (apartment) home.  Right now, it seems like a never ending task.  We have decided to take it one room at a time.  So far we have finished the bedroom and bathroom.  Unfortunately, the closet still needs a little work.  Here are some pictures of what we have finished so far.

Bathroom

New vanity and chair (not new, just added)

Bed (with new bedding)

Now all that's left to do in here is to add something to the walls.  We have been working on the kitchen and dining room and will soon be working on the living room.  Hopefully we will be able to post pictures soon.

Living the married life

We are officially married and back from our honeymoon in Mexico. Believe it or not, the weather was more pleasant (i.e. cooler) in Mexico than Minnesota. I will try to recap our trip, but I'm sure I will forget many things. After a week packed with trying to move Josh's things into our apartment and attempts at completing our registry (so we weren't tempted to spend the money on other things), we slept for 2hours on Friday night and took off for the airport just before 3am. Soon after arriving, we discovered that the airport doesn't open until 4. While waiting with all the missions trips waiting to go off we started to get a little nervous since our flit left at 5 and we knew we were supposed to check in 2 hours early. Everything worked out I the end and we made it to Houston for our 3.5 hour layover. We stopped at Chili's (the only sit down restaurant in our terminal) for breakfast that felt like lunch. We witnessed a very odd, public confrontation that appeared to be between some sort of youth trip chaperones. I can't even begin to explain what happened. We made sure to get out of there as soon as possible. While in Houston, we realized that we didn't have our cameras. It turns out that we left them in the car. Bummer. We finally got to Mexico after a very long day of traveling. We were exhausted, so we hung out by the pool for a little bit and then ended up taking a few hour long nap before going to dinner. We thought we were going to dinner super late at 8:30, but it turns out that is the normal time for dinner at this place. The next morning, we asked some advice for getting a camera. We ended up going to SuperChe, which is the Mexican equivalent of Walmart. We found a nice Sony camera, but the employee did not speak English. He ran around the store until he found someone who could translate for us... another customer! Once we determined we Actually wanted the camera, he had to complete 2 forms. The camera was then delivered to the front of the store while we went to check out. The cashier had to get approval to use our credit card, we had to fill out a few more forms, then we set to pick up our camera. There was a security guard at the front of the store who had to see all of our completed forms so he could stamp them. When we finally walked out of the store, I felt like that woman from the Ikea commercial... "get in the taxi! Go go go!" The rest of the week was very relaxing. I will try to get Josh to post about it soon!

Life lessons learned through ceremony programs

My lesson for the day: sometimes things don't work out as you planned, and sometimes that is for the best. Last night, we finally got around to making the programs. We got about ten in and Josh's hands were bruised from the hole punch and both of us were on our last bit of patience. Thankfully someone stepped in and broke the hole punch. This resulted in a frantic trip to Michael's where we discovered a heavy duty hole punch and the joy of brads. After returning home, we completed 120 programs in the time we had done 20 the other way. So my message is that when a door is closed in your face, there is always a window open for you. Usually windows have better views than doors, and sometimes even a window box with beautiful flowers. 3 days!

Crunch time

Hi folks. It's crunch time over here. I'm sorry it has been so long since my last post, but I may not be posting again until after the wedding. I have my final dress fitting this weekend and will be starting work on my programs soon. We just got our marriage license last night (after a little drama... Can't do anything the easy way!), so things are starting to feel more real. No one ever talks about the silly vow they make you do at the place you get your marriage license, kind of funny. Josh has been gradually moving some of his things into my (soon to be our!) apartment. I have had days where I don't have to think about wedding stuff at all and some where every single vendor we are working with calls me within 30 minutes. All in all, I am ready for the big day to be here already! See you all soon. 8 days!

Shoes

I finally glittered my shoes!

Baby blue glitter shoes!

This was a super easy project I found on pinterest.  Just takes a little glitter of choice and mod podge.  I do have a TON of extra mod podge now, so looking for a few new projects.

Fairy Tale

You know when you are a little girl and you are imagining your wedding and all that surrounds it?  Then I'm sure you can imagine how it feels when something has so much potential and falls short.  I hope no one in my life ever has to experience that kind of disappointment.

Good Times and Great Oldies

Today was (surprisingly) very emotional for me.  It was the day that I said goodbye to the Sebring and hello to a brand new Hyundai Sonata.

I was very surprised at how emotional I became throughout the process of trading in my car.  I cried. At the dealership.  I am really embarrassed about it, but at least they threw in a free protective coat because I cried.  That's right, my crying is worth $500+.  I really was unaware of how emotionally attached I was to this car.  We have had some very great times together.  So many trips to Moorhead and back.  Stuffing my back seat full of football players (a very interesting sight).  Plenty of parades.  These cars have so much meaning to my relationship with Josh.  It is very sad to see them go. 

It is even more exciting (as Josh continuously reminded me throughout the day) to think about all the new memories we will be making in the new car.  We will be taking home a puppy in this car.  We will be home searching.  We will probably even take home a kid of two.  It is awe inspiring to think about how blessed I have been in my life.  I really could not ask for any better family, friends, or person to marry.  I am fortunate enough to be marrying into a great family.  I really couldn't ask for more.  THANK YOU SO MUCH to each and every person who contributes to my life.  I sincerely love you all more than words can truly express.

Here are some pictures from the day.


The Cougar and the Sebring, together for the last time.




Josh and his first car.  There were SO many memories found in this car when we were cleaning it out last night.  After all the problems and drama, I never thought I would be sad to see it go.  I was.




My first car.  So much love.  Thank you SO MUCH Mom and Dad for the best graduation gift ever.  Thank you Grandpa for finding this and saving it for me.  An 18 year old girl could not ask for anything more.  We made a pretty cute couple :)




Josh is imagining the Cougar in car heaven.  It makes me feel so much better to know that some 16 year old girl is going to be driving this soon and she will love it as much as I have.



Tim and Nancy's CR-V with a Cameo.  Josh and I took one last joy ride with the top down, even though storms were headed our way.



Vintage Hello Kitty floor mats.  I tried to convince Josh these would be great in the Sonata.  No luck.




New Sonata.  Parked in THE VERY BACK of the Southdale Mall parking lot.  No door dings for this baby.  We are starting our family already.




I'm driving our car for the first time!




In our own "personal" parking garage at St. Thomas after a rough day on my makeup.  No one else parks here in the summer!


So if you're wondering, we did trade in both of our cars to get one.  We struggled making the decision, but after realizing how little we actually drive, it only made sense.  Josh will be taking the bus every day to his new job and I walk to work (the whole half a block!).  Once I get a job and start making some money, we will get another car.  For now, one (pretty darn awesome) car it is!

p.s.  We went down to "the farm" this weekend for some of Josh's cousins' grad parties.  It was fun to celebrate Quinn and Adam and think about the great things that are to come for them.  It is making me excited to celebrate Josie and Chase coming up in the next few weeks.  I need to get it together before then so I stop crying in public (Josh asked me this afternoon if he needed to prepare for a lifetime of me crying in public... yikes!).  I am REALLY hoping I go back to normal after the wedding.

Next weekend is Bridal Shower and Bachelorette party.  I am SUPER EXCITED to see everyone and have a great time!  I probably will not post until then.  We will see if inspiration strikes me ;)

Love you all! 33 Days!