Graduation, Real Life, and what we have been up to!

Hello all!  
Sorry it's been so long since I have written last.  My last couple of semesters of school were quite busy but now that I am finished and settling in to my new job, I have found more time to myself and figured I better be keeping this up as well!

As most of you know, my fashion show was just last month and it went SO well!! We had a great turn out and events like this do so much good for the clothing design program!! I made a wedding dress that was modeled by the bride at the show.  It was so fun to create and equally as fun to have it modeled at the fashion show. I felt so professional and had so much fun!! 

The runway 

That's my dress!!!! WOO!

Graduation was also such a fun event! It was great to shake hands with President Clark during his last duty as President of the University and to receive my diploma! It was also SO great to see all of my family!  My brother and I walked at graduation together so our entire immediate family made it out to see us!

The girls from my department who graduated with me this semester! 

Selfie with my momma!

As a graduation present from my parents, I got a serger!! I was so excited as I have never had one of my own before and always had to rely on the ones in the lab on campus!! Steven also got me a professional grade steaming iron!!!!! I feel like a professional now! I have all the equipment I need to do any sort of home sewing business I need! 

However, since I am now working at David's Bridal, I am not supposed to take on bridal/formal wear alterations outside of work as it conflicts with my job and creates competition for them.  I have done a few simple ready-wear fixes here and there but while I am at David's I have to keep home alteration business on the back burner. 

There's my steaming iron!!

Speaking of this new job... We went to Buffalo Wild Wings after my first day to celebrate!  I am just on the alterations team for now but by the end of May I should be moved up to Management!!! I am really excited for the experience and everything this job will bring to our family!

We wanted to try a bunch of flavors... So we did!

And now I am done with school I have more time to work on some projects I really have been wanting to do.  My first project was to refinish this dresser and repurpose it for a new entertainment center!! I was getting sick of our old one that was black glass because it showed SO much dust!!! I was tired of cleaning it just about every other day just to keep it looking decent.  So this was definitely an upgrade.  Also, this is solid wood so it is definitely a higher quality piece of furniture as well, and can support a larger TV if we decide to upgrade in the future (Steven thinks he needs a big screen to watch football).

Before...

Before

Before

Before

Sanding that oak finish off! 

Fresh stain!

Stain and primer coat

After!

UNTIL NEXT TIME!

Big Update on Life

Not that there's anything special to announce or blog about, I feel like I have been slacking extremely on the blog-isphere here so I apologize in advance for my post that may seem lengthy, or vague... I'm going off memory here of the little things in our lives for the last 3 months.

Almost the week after my last post I took Steven to the ER.  He woke me up in the middle of the night writhing in pain and we couldn't figure out why but he felt like he was going to die.  I ain't having any of that so I escorted him to the car and drove him to the emergency room at 3 in the morning...

Of course... When we got there I stopped by the doors to let him out (he could barely walk because the pain was so intense).  And then when I returned to the car I couldn't get the driver side door to open. I was getting impatient (and admittedly, quite emotional with everything that was going on) and it didn't help that night was the first big snowfall of the season.  So there I was, locked out of my car, in the blizzard, while my poor husband could be DYING in the lobby of the ER... I finally just crawled over from the passenger side and drove the car over to where I could leave it parked and ran back inside to help finish signing Steven in.

Steven was propped up on the counter in front of the receptionist so I told him to go sit down and I'd finish.  The nurse called him back to the examination room before I finished to get him laid down and hooked up to all their machines.  When I went back he was a stiff as a board on the table.  His feet were flexed and he was still writhing in pain.  The nurse was trying to ask him simple questions which he answered through gritted teeth.  I took my seat next to him as she began to hook a vile of something up to his IV.  She told him it was a dose of morphine and explained some of the side effects he might feel as she gives him the dosage.  Steven responded like it was like mana from heaven!  I could see the muscles in his body begin to relax little by little until his feet finally relaxed on the hospital bed.  

Apparently before I arrived he had done a urine sample which by this point, the doctor came back in to let us know that Steven had blood in his urine indicating that it was a kidney stone.  (And at this point I am thanking God that he isn't dying, nor in any condition that is too scary)  The morphine did the trick and we went back home and went to bed.  Thankfully for Steven, he passed the kidney stone later that day.

My poor honey in the ER... This was after the dose of morphine.

Also, last semester I was working on my fashion show for my senior project. It. Went. So. Well!!!! I couldn't have asked for a better turnout with the show itself and how smoothly everything went that day.  I was expecting some sort of chaos and drama... but ZERO, ZIP, NONE! Hooray!  We made more than enough money to cover our costs and have hopefully left an impression on the student body (and the local patrons) to create great expectations for each semester in the future.  This semester we have tossed around the idea of combining with the floral department some to do one big bridal show (seeing as there will be 16 wedding dresses/brides modeling in the show in March).  The floral would do the bouquets for the brides and a few displays out in the lobby.  We would also have the advanced cake decorating class display a few of their cake creations in the lobby as well.  March 28th! Save the date!

After the fashion show. I designed and constructed this dress myself!

Also, here's the short video of the fashion show!! There is a full length one but way too large to upload. If you want to watch that one just let me know!





We spent Christmas in Washington with my wonderful family!  It was so nice to go home since I hadn't been back since our wedding a year and a half ago!  I got to see my best friend from back home and spend some good quality time with my folks.  The weather was also quite agreeable while we were there as well.  Steven and I wandered from store to store while we were out shopping without our coats!  Some people thought we were strange but going from our negative degree weather here to 50-55 degree weather there was so refreshing!  

Eating at Miners of Yakima!

Steven breaking the ice for the kids at our ward Christmas party

Our Christmas gift from Steven's parents! Fully supplied with beef as well! :D

We spent New Years alone together at home. I actually had to work that evening but we closed down the restaurant early (around 8) so I was home by 9:30-ish.  We watched movies and celebrated with popcorn and sparkling cider at midnight. Nothing too extravagant.  

New Years Eve

This semester, Steven is off-track so he has been working full time sandblasting (and the company has been rather busy this January which has been so nice since usually they are extremely slow this time of year! It's been so helpful to the paycheck!) and I just have 13 credits left and then I am graduating in April!!! YAY!!! It still hasn't really sunk in that I am finally graduating from college here in a couple months, but I am excited to finally be done with school and perhaps looking for a real job in my field!  I will be a college grad here in just 3 months! Woo!

I love this goofy man!

I chopped my hair off!

Temple date before school started for me

Until next time!

November, Birthdays, and First Snow

November is a big month for us because we both celebrate our birthdays! Steven turned 26 this year and I turned 22. To celebrate Steven's birthday we went out for a late lunch at the Hickory the Saturday before his birthday and we had cupcakes and played games with friends on Sunday.  Even though we are still on our diets we kept to it by ordering what I know we can eat at the Hickory and I found a recipe to make low carb cupcakes! (Thank you Internet!!!).  For my birthday, we went to Red Robin for lunch, got a free burger (that Steven ate bunless with a side a broccoli instead of the fries) and I had the ensenada chicken with a side salad. (YUM!) Steven let me go shopping to celebrate my birthday and he bought himself a new game to celebrate his.  We were quite lame with the surprises and gifts this year. It was hard to top last years birthdays though so we did it pretty low key.

We are both still busy with school but things are really kicking up with my fashion show!! It's only 1 month away and boy can I feel the pressure there! I designed and had the posters printed and my committee helped get them plastered all over campus.  I am still working on a few more advertising and marketing things, including standing at a booth handing out flyers for a few hours this week and the last 2 weeks before the show, but for the most part the details are starting to demand attention.  Thankfully I have a SUPER helpful committee that does so much for me!!!

I also had an assignment that allowed me to make a large format print, frame it, and have it on display in the Spori Building!!!!!!  WOO!! I was pretty stoked with how it turned out!!

Today marked the first blustery wintery day here.  It snowed overnight last night and was SUPER chilly and windy all day.  So I finally buckled down and made the insulated curtain we wanted to hang at the bottom of the stairs to help keep the heat from rising up into the loft area right in front of our front door.  Then when I heard that it would get down to around -40 degrees tonight I went around to each window (and the front door) and covered each with a quilt or thick blanket to help keep the heat in tonight.  I hate when it gets so cold like this--it scares me... I'm ready for summer to be back already.  I miss being able to open the window and have the fresh air pour in...  We definitely live in the wrong area for our weather preferences...

Well, that's all I can think of for now!

Until next time!

October Chills

This semester has been a little crazy for the both of us.  Steven is taking 12 credits and still working and I am taking 14 credits and working as well.  I had 16 credits for a while and ended up dropping a class because it was just an elective but had just as much work and time commitment as some of my major classes.  I had the opportunity to complete my senior capstone project this semester and that alone keeps me as busy as possible.  Speaking of which... "Like" the fashion show page on Facebook if you haven't yet! https://www.facebook.com/expressurdress

Steven and I, amongst the busy-ness of our lives, are doing a diet together.  We have been cutting out carbs from our diets and so far I have lost about 10 pounds and Steven has just started a week ago with me and has lost a few as well!  I tend to forget how good it feels to not be weighted down by all the heavy carbohydrates I used to eat all the time.  We will eventually phase back into a normal diet but the rapid weight loss has been nice.

Our low carb treats!

Even figured out how to have low carb french toast! Score!

Before we started our diets, we enjoyed having some sweet treats during General Conference (I live for G.C. weekend!)

Homemade scone pastries

This week we also bought a new kitchen table!  I was pretty excited because, while having a free table that is fairly decent has been a blessing, it's nice to get something of a bit better quality.  We did find it at the D.I. so it needs a little TLC but it's solid wood, so with a new coat of stain it will be brand new again!  It even has a leaf built in so as our family grows in the future, we will be prepared!

That's the quick update on us for now.  More to come another day!

Until next time!

School, Fall, Catching Up!

Right before school started, Steven's work had their annual summer work BBQ.  This year it was at Heise Hot Springs.  We didn't end up swimming in the hot springs, but Steven and I participated in their minute to win it games.  Steven was the all star that made it to the final round.  I had to capture the video of him winning the shaking ping pong balls out of the tissue box game.  I didn't know my honey could move like that!  

I had a cucumber I wasn't sure what to do with that my mom gave us… So I took a whack at making refrigerator pickles.  I'd say it was a success (though I think they turned out a bit more sour than I prefer…).

Steven has been waiting all year for football season to start so I thought what better way to kick off the season than to make our own game day shirts?!?!  Since buying shirts with your team's logo is WAY expensive (more than we'd like for just a t-shirt) we slipped on over to the D.I. and bought our own red shirts and painted the logos on ourselves!  I think they turned out pretty well and they are 100% unique and customized!

Our neighbors and long time friends went out of town for a day or two and left their adorable little dog to stay with us for a day.  It was nice to have another soul around to talk to and play with.  I thinks Steven caught the bug even worse now though and he wants his own puppy more than ever now…

We have spent the first couple weeks of school feeling super busy trying to find how we balance school, work, and life in general.  This is my first semester working at the restaurant while being on track so it's a little different because I am not used to working in the evenings on a school night since my old campus job was over by 5 no matter what.  But it has been such a blessing to have this job.  Steven's job has also been kind with their hours so he has actually cut back a few per week to keep up with school work.  We have been so incredibly blessed with our employment here!  For how hard it is to find good jobs in this area I think we scored the best this town has to offer for young college students.

We (thankfully) still find time to spend together a little throughout our days and on the weekends for sure!  Today Steven took me out for lunch and we have spent the evening sprawled out on the floor with a little piece of blanket heaven and a good movie.  I have to say I have really enjoyed this time in our lives where we can spend quiet evenings at home, together, just the two of us.  I hope we can always find time to do stuff like this throughout our lives.  I am blessed with the best husband I could have asked for!

On that note… Until next time!