"Ski Resort" Visit

One day we were out for a drive and happened to drive past a "ski resort" that was a couple miles down the road from our apartment. As you can see I put ski resort in quotations because to my standards it looks like a sledding hill. I know that pictures don't do it justice, but you get the idea.

It's located in Boston Township so I had to take a picture of the sign for my niece Boston.

This is it! Pretty huge uh? And the funny thing is, is that they have like 4 lifts in this really small area. It gave us a good laugh though.

Plus the other bad thing about it is they pretty much have to use all fake snow. Yes it snows there, but we're only at like 1000 feet above sea level so if we have a warm day, bye bye snow!

Rock Band at the Maas's

After we got home from Utah and before school started we had a great night playing Rock Band with our friends the Maas's. We got really good it and had a great time playing with them. Thanks guys, we can't wait to do it again.

We Made It!

Well it's been almost a weeks since we got to Utah. Things are going great, I've been working at my dad's shop doing Secretary work and Clint has been busy getting us settled into our room at my parents house. We like things so far and can't wait for Clint to get a job. Other than that we really haven't done much. We haven't even seen our friends yet, but hopefully by Friday that will all change.

We ended up leaving on Wednesday at 11am after cleaning the apartment and loading the cars. Tuesday night we had the missionaries and some wonderful people from our ward help us load the moving Truck. We couldn't have done it with out them! Thank you to everyone who helped!

On Wednesday we only made it to Chesterton IN which is about 6 hours away. We didn't get any sleep the night before so we were pretty tired by then and didn't want to get hurt. Thursday we had a REALLY long day! We drove to North Platte NE which took us about 16 hours with stops! Let me remind you that I was driving the Jeep and Clint was driving the moving truck so that is 16 hours all on our own. I don't recommend it!

Just before we got to North Platte there was this really cool lighting storm happening. There was so much lighting from all directions that the sky was pretty much lit non stop. Little did we know that the storm we were watching could turn into a tornado any minute. When we checked into the hotel the people at the front desk told us to hurry and take cover in the bath tub until the warning passed. I was so scared! Luckily the tornado didn't touch down where we were and we were safe along with all of our junk.

Friday we drove the rest of the way home which was only 12 hours. Much better than the day before. We moved in the necessities and then headed to bed around 10. Then the next day we unloaded the rest of our stuff at the storage place and attempted to set up our quarters at my parents. I have to say we're pretty comfortable at the Veenker's and they have been great to us.

Now we can't wait to see what the future has in store for us. We miss all of our friends Ohio but already we have met a lot of great people in our new ward. I think this is going to work out!

LIfe just can't be planned

So since I have been very bad at blogging, most of you have no idea what we have been up to in the past few month, well we have had a lot going on so here is a quick update.

Back in April Clint got really sick and had to be admitted to the hospital for 4 days and his recovery time was quite lengthy. Well since he had missed so much school and didn't feel like he could catch up we decided that he needed to take a medical leave from school. So what did this mean? Well since he didn't finish his last semester of his first year he has to wait until January to retake his classes since the classes he needs to take are only offered in the spring. Kind of sucks but we're dealing with it.

Luckily we picked a school that is amazing. They have been so willing to work with us and have bent over backwards doing what ever they can to help. The aren't making us pay for the semester he'll retake, plus if he keeps up his grades they'll still allow him to keep his scholarship. I really am impressed with how kind they have been and we truly feel like we made the right choice in the school we choose.

Originally we had planned to go to Utah for the summer and Clint would do an internship at a law firm in Orem, but since he didn't finish we couldn't do that, so we decided that we would stay in Ohio, work and save money so we could live next year. That was the first plan. Now we are on plan number 7 and this is what we are doing.

We are currently packing up our things and moving back to Utah until January! We will leave on Wednesday and hopefully be in Utah by Friday, but since we know life doesn't always go as planned, we're just going to take it one day at a time and see when we get there.

I'll miss my friends in Ohio but I am SOOO excited to get out of the humidity and be with our family and friends in Utah. We'll be staying with my parents, which is wonderful of them to be willing to keep us. I'll be working for my dad again and hopefully find another part time job. Clint will be doing...TBA. Hopefully he'll find a job soon, because you would never believe how poor you can be with no work and no money. :)

So ya, kind of big news and totally something we didn't plan on, but I think I have finally figured out that life doesn't go as planned. We're good though and Clint is doing great. We can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for us in Utah, maybe we'll get lucky and we'll have a few months challenge free. I know - ya right, but complaining doesn't help, just praying. Thanks to everyone for your support, love and friendship. To our friends in Utah, we can't wait to see you, to our friends in Ohio, God be with you till we meet again. Love you ALL!

Christmas Break #2

For the past 7 years my mom and dad have come over to Clint and my place for dinner and a night of fun. Since we were staying at there house they couldn't really do that so my sister Lori invited those that were staying at the Veenker's house to come over for a night of fun before Santa came. Since my sister Wendy and brother-in-law John only had their daughter Hailey home for Christmas (Brooklynn and Chris went to their dad's for Christmas and I think John's boys were with their mom) they were invited too.

We had a great time of food games and fun!

Playing Win Loose or Draw

Decorating cookies

The kids before bed. The only night they didn't mind going to sleep so that Santa could come.

The group that was there.


Since going to Utah was our Christmas present, Christmas morning was a little different because we didn't exchange gifts. But when Clint woke up he was very surprised that Santa had left a few things in his stocking.

Jax was jealous.

Christmas morning at the Veenker's:

As always everyone came over to my parents where we exchanged gifts, ate a yummy breakfast, and called Scott who at the time was on his mission in Argentina. My mom makes the BEST cinnamon rolls so of course we had those along with this really yummy breakfast casserole and of course oranges. Christmas wouldn't be complete with out them.

Hayden and Stockton looking very excited.

Hailey got this really cool Cat. When you pet it it purrs and it will move and lick it's paw and does all this other crazy stuff that makes it look just like a real cat.

The girls with the dolls that they got. Yes Libby got a real live baby instead, Britt.

Dad got a supply of Candy Bars for his break time at work.

I was very excited that I finally got a rolling pin! Weird thing to get excited about, but that's what happens when you get old, things like that are so fun to get.

Part of the mess we made.

Christmas at the Meeks:

This year at the Meeks was a bitter sweet moment. It was great to be with the family, but it was the first year with out Jim. We all missed him terribly but had a great time spending time with each other.

Boston and Roman must have been very good this past year because they got loaded with gifts! It was so fun to watch them open gifts.

Dinner time.

Boston hiding.

New Years at the Cabin:

Most years we go up to the cabin for New Years. This year was no exception. We had a great time snowmobiling, sledding, playing games and of course eating.

So of course pictures don't compare to the real thing. This is a massive sledding hill that my dad grooms with his snowcat. It is really long and by the time you get to the bottom you are flying. We don't like to sled the old fashion way of going down a hill and then climbing back up, nope we have the snowmobiles take us back up. Much better! The funny thing about this hill is that there is a ski resort just a few miles from our house here in Ohio and this hill is bigger than that.

Zach loves Jax! He is such a good cousin.

We played a lot of games at night including a mean game of Heads-up Seven-up! So much fun!

We also had a really fun game of spoons going on.

Clint, Jax and me in front of the cabin.

We had a great dance concert, I video taped it, but it won't download to my computer. But the girl in the black is Lexi and let me just say, she has major moves! She can shake those 5 year old hips like no body's business!

Afton sang for us. I'm so lucky!

Some of the nieces and nephew that would take a picture with us.

Family Home Evening:

The night before we left we had a big family home evening with my family.

I made spaghetti and wasn't sure how much noodles I would need. You would have thought that we were Italian with all of the noodles we had!

Caleb made me feel good and filled up his plate.

The kids enjoying the food.

Singing

McKinsey gave us a really great lesson on missionary work.

We then wrote letter's to Scott (who was on the miss) and folded the paper like a shirt and then added a tie and a name tag. McKinsey and KyLee's idea. Super cute and Scott loved them!

Clint and I with most all of our nieces and nephews on my side. Minus Ellie, she must have been sleeping.

Wendy remembered that one of her favorite FHE activities was trying on my dad's glasses. Luckily my dad doesn't throw anything away and he still had them! We all took turns trying them on and we looked GREAT!

McKinsey

Me

Doug

Todd...Classic

Chris

Brooklynn

Craig

Caleb

Clint, not a big difference from his normal glasses :)

Libby, she even pulled up her pants for us.

We had a great time and it was hard leaving but we will and did see them all again.