The Housewife

Happy Winter! Well I haven't updated the blog in a bit and quite a lot has changed! Indeed I have become a housewife. A few weeks ago I went to work and was informed by my manager that our headquarters in Chicago were shutting down our west coast channel. This includes the offices in the pacific northwest, the bay area in California and our whole building here in Layton. What a surprise! Obviously a layoff is never good news and Brad and I were scrambling to try and plan out the future without my job, insurance, and being 32 weeks pregnant. I planned on working until the baby comes and then taking maternity leave and using my PTO time, but that all changed pretty quickly. Although Maternity leave and PTO time are both hard to let go, our biggest concern is definitely the insurance factor. As of my last working day, the 13th of November, (Friday the 13th, how ironic!) we were without insurance. Thank goodness for Cobra! We are still in the process of getting Cobra set up and hopefully we will qualify for the government's subsidy program but it is still a scary time with a baby coming so soon. Even though times are uncertain, we feel really blessed to have all that we do and for all the opportunities that are out there so that we will be OK. My sudden dismissal from work has been kind of a tough transition as I am so used to being overly busy. Now I am finding that I have a LOT of time on my hands, but I feel like this is also a blessing as it is helping me prepare for when the baby comes. Brad has two part time jobs and is still looking feverishly for something he enjoys a little more and that offers insurance. He is such a huge support and I am so thankful for his work ethic and positive attitude.

He makes me feel like a good housewife as he is always very appreciative of my recently acquired cooking skills, and squeaky clean house. Like I said, lots of time on my hands... I am doing hair more and I continue to advertise and spread the word about my salon so that I can help things out by doing hair. I truly love doing hair and am excited to continue building my clientele. I have finally decided on a name for my salon... and it is SalonKae.
Kae stands for the names of my sisters, Kirsten, Amber, & Erin. My website is currently being worked on and I'm really excited for it to be finished as I think that it will bring in more clients.
We are looking forward to Thanksgiving this weekend. We are having my family at our house this year, so that should be tons of fun! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and that life is treating you well. Thank you all for your love and examples. We find so much strength from our amazing family and friends.

Happy Halloween!

My sister sent me the link to make the video above and I think it's pretty hilarious. Check it out! Well Brad and I had a lot of fun on Halloween. We have a tradition now of passing out candy AND Hot chocolate for the parents which is pretty fun. (We try to entice more people to come down our street) We absolutely love seeing our cute neighbors bring their kids around all dressed up. I hope you all had a fun Halloween! I'd love to see your pictures.

Still loving fall...

We've done a lot of fun things this fall and I'm really enjoying it. First we went to the corn maze with Adam and Megan. It was pretty fun except for the fact that we were BY FAR the oldest people there. The place was infested with junior high and possibly high school kids which made it kind of interesting. :) So there were two huge slides that you could go down and Brad and I decided to do it even though I'm kind of large right now. (We're just trying to break in our child...you know, prepare him for roller coasters, etc.) I was kind of nervous and the bumps were a little uncomfortable but the hilarious part came when I tried to stand up. Notice Brad just hops up all excited and I'm stuck. HAHA! This picture makes me laugh because I really did have quite the time standing up.

We've also made candy apples, carved pumpkins and we went to the Pumpkin Walk up in Logan. the pumpkin walk is the best! Each year there is a theme and this year's was TV Commercials. People put together displays of pumpkins that they have painted and you walk through all the displays. My personal favorites were The Geico Caveman, The Mac & PC Guy, the Michael Jackson Thriller dance, and Where the Wild Things Are. Some people are really creative. This is the second year that we've gone and it's a lot of fun.
We can't wait for Halloween. We LOVE handing out candy. Our neighborhood is loaded with cute kids so I'm stoked. Everyone with kids should come to our neighborhood because we will have hot chocolate for all who come to our door. :) Happy Halloween!

Fall 2009

I love Fall! It is beautiful here this time of year and we have really enjoyed the weather so far. We went on our annual car drive to see the leaves. We have done this every year since we were dating and it is one of my favorite traditions so far! We went up to Snow Basin and it was gorgeous there! Hopefully we can hold on to this weather for a while because I'm not sure if I'm ready for snow. Here are some of the pictures Bradley took.

It's been forever!

Sorry everyone, I know you have all greatly missed reading about us. Dry your eyes, WE RETURN! Let me start off by sharing our huge news which most of you probably already know. We are having a baby boy! Hooray!! We cannot wait to bring him into our home and are VERY excited and happy for this new stage of life. This news may help some of you (especially women) understand my lack of motivation for pretty much everything, including updating our blog. Some of my good friends have inspired me to get back to blogging to keep them posted, so here we are! I haven't taken any real profile pictures since we've been pregnant so last night I finally had Bradley take a couple so we can document this joyful pregnancy. (Only slight sarcasm there. :) This is me at 5 1/2 months. I am so happy to be at the second half of the pregnancy. Those of you that know me well know how much I dislike winter, but this year it can't come quick enough! I am just counting down the days until Halloween... and then Thanksgiving ...Christmas... and then it will be no time before we have this sweet baby. Can't wait! A few weeks ago we had our big Anatomy ultrasound and I'm happy to report that this baby appears to be a healthy boy, and quite active! We continue to pray and have faith that all will go well as he keeps growing.
One thing that I'm pretty concerned about is the Swine Flu. I watch a lot of news and I keep hearing that pregnant women are number 1 on the list to get the new vaccine because of the risks involved in pregnant women and their unborn child. Honestly I am a little hesitant about getting this vaccine as it has hardly been tested. After doing some research I have learned that there are a lot of natural ways to keep my body healthy and protected from the Swine flu or other illnesses. If anyone has some good information they would like to send our way, we are more than open to it! It may sound crazy or irresponsible that I'd be skeptical about this vaccine but I just want to do what's best for my health and the baby's health. I promise to be better at updating the blog and letting everyone know how all of that is going. :)

In other news, let me give an update on Bradley. Some of you know that he broke his hand about a month and a half ago playing basketball. It was bad enough that he had to have surgery and since then has been slowly recovering. Unfortunately he has lost some movement in his hand and works really hard at therapy so that he can gain as much movement back as possible. A plate was put in his hand temporarily to help the bone grow together normally again. That plate should be taken out in the next few months and at that time they will be able to cut away much of the scar tissue that has attached to his tendon preventing full movement of his fingers and hand. We are really hoping that all goes well there and that his therapy can continue to help. In the mean time he is really missing basketball, a weekly tradition he has been involved in since high school. But I keep reminding me how lucky he is to spend more time with me. :)
Brad continues to work hard at work and around the house always improving things and making life easy and enjoyable. He is currently looking for other job options as the family business continues to suffer in this economy and we have a baby coming and my full time job coming to an end. I know he feels a lot of pressure and responsibility and we are hoping and praying that he can find something that he enjoys and can learn from while we wait for things to pick up.

2nd Anniversary!

When Brad and I got married, a lady in our ward told me that in marriage, the first seven years are the hardest. Haha! Hmm, That's not something a newlywed wants to here! I've also heard that the first year or even two years are the hardest. And while I can totally see how this may be the case for many couples, I'm happy to report that I'm happier than ever after being married to Bradley for two years. Each day brings new opportunities to learn and grow together and truly ENJOY life. Some of the things we like to do together are cooking, playing sports, watching movies and eating treats, going on long walks with our crazy dog, playing games, listening to music, and the list goes on. I'm so thankful to have such a fun, sweet, caring husband who takes such good care of me. Can't wait for many more years together. I can only imagine how I'll feel when we hit our 7th anniversary! :)
This year for our anniversary Brad was the planner. He took me to the Red Iguana for dinner. It was the best! We both love Mexican food, and this is tuly amazing Mexican food. It was delicious. After dinner we went to downtown SLC and Brad surprised me with Salsa Dancing! I was sooo excited! Brad doesn't love dancing, (although deep down he wishes he was really good at breakdancing, NO JOKE) so I thought it was so sweet that he would take me dancing, knowing how much I love to dance. It was such a fun night.

Poor Miss Miya

Our poor Miya lost her womanhood yesterday. We tried to breed her once but after a few days with mean ol' Koda (a stud Cocker who is much bigger than Miya who was, shall we say, "a little too" excited) and no success, we decided that we have a morally chaste dog. We truly felt horrible leaving her there growling and running for her life around Koda's house with him right on her tail. Plus Miya is pretty small for her breed and we were worried about her health should she become pregnant. SO as much as I'd love to have Cocker Spaniel puppies, it's not worth risking her health. I'll just have to go to the pet store and visit some puppies. I am trying to convince my Father in Law to buy a puppy to be a friend for Miya but he hasn't consented yet. Maybe for Fathers Day I'll buy him one... good idea!
Anyway, we set a date to take her in since she would be going into heat in the next month or two and we didn't want to deal with that again. Miya on drugs (Painkillers) is quite hilarious. I wasn't sure if she'd be able to walk, but sure enough when Brad arrived home with her I ran out to the garage to see how she was and she was dizzily walking towards me tripping up the stairs on the way into the house. We then let her go outside to do her job and she was walking sideways with her eyes half open. It took her about 5 minutes to go to the bathroom. Lol, Brad and I were trying not to laugh at her.

Country Roads!

I haven't been loving the Office as much lately but I always get a kick out of Andy and Dwight's musical antics. Check out this clip from one of my recent favorite episodes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcYVfcZkwYk

Zack & Kylee

Look at this adorable couple! This past weekend Zack and Kylee were married in the Mesa, AZ temple. It was a perfect day. I have to say, I am thrilled to have Kylee as a sister! I've known her for a little less than a year but we are already close friends. Spending time in Arizona with my family was wonderful! I haven't been home in so long and it was so good to be together as a family again. While in Arizona I was also able to catch up with Courtney and it was SO good to see her! It has been way too long. It's funny how even though we haven't seen each other forever things are right back to where they left off when I saw her last. I'm so thankful for her lasting friendship all these years. Love ya Court!

Thanks to Erin and Brian, Brad and I were lucky enough to drive down to AZ in an RV! Was it hillarious? Absolutely! Brian entertained us with Red Neck jokes on the way down, and we did feel a little white trash, BUT in all reality it was quite

a comfortable experience and we were very thankful to be able to stretch our legs a bit, watch movies, eat food, play games, and help with the kids. Arizona was beautiful this weekend and we had a great time.

B Rizzle!!

I keep trying to convince Brad that he is part of 'TeamArnell" and to contribute to this blog but have had no success so far! So I thought I'd post a little about what he's up to. He continues to work hard for AHP, as an Architectural Draftsman and truly loves what he does. We're hoping the housing slump will start to end and we can see an improvement in residential construction. He enjoys designing houses more than anything and hopes it will continue to be a success throughout his life. He continues to play basketball every week with his buddies and is VERY good at it though he'll never admit it. :) I love to brag about him... He and I also joined a city volleyball league and we're having a lot of fun with that. Brad is also really good at volleyball and it's great to be on a team together. Bradley continues to be my little handy man. He loves finding projects and stays very busy at keeping things looking great and running well around the house. We're currently making a few changes to the kitchen and he's been working really hard at that. He recently planted spring vegetables in our garden and jokes about how he can already see them sprouting. He's also anxious to see how well the six trees he planted last year have weathered through the winter. A few of the trees have buds on them so that is a good sign! Brad stays very busy and is enjoying life and I'm thankful to have him by my side. Come visit us sometime!

Arnell Hair Design

Well until I get my website up and going, I thought I might try to use my blog as an advertising tool for my Cosmetology business! My mom says that the best way to build business and increase clientele is through networking. I love my job as a hair stylist and would love to keep growing my business. I know you are all probably very loyal to your hair stylist but if you're ready for a change, I'd love to have you! Brad did a beautiful job building my salon, so come check it out. You won't be disappointed. :)

The Hiding Place

I've become an avid reader as of late and the book I finished most recently is called The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom. I highly reccomend this book to everyone as it has had an immediate impact on my life. If you're not familiar with Corrie ten Boom, she is a Christian Holochaust surviver who aided in the underground work of hiding and rescuing Jews during World War II. The horrific events of that time in history are hard to fathom. After reading this book I feel the need to tell others of this incredible story, perhaps out of respect and admiration for the ten Boom family. One of the many thing this book reaffirmed for me is just how blessed we are to live in a land of freedom and prosperity. I know that prejudices and hate are still all around us but I am certainly thankful for the examples of love and sacrifice of so many that have brought us to where we are today. Yes there are problems everywhere, but there is also so much to be positive about! While imprisoned in one of the extermination camps, Corrie thanked Jesus for the flee infestation that briefly kept out the guards, alllowing her and her sister to speak to each other and help those around them. The most amazing thing to me is that Corrie and her sister were in these camps because of their service and care for others. They sacrificed and saved lives and were sent to death camps because of it. It's just incredible to me! Everyone struggles with their own trials and challenges, so let's look out for each other and look on the bright side. Read this book, it's worth your time. :)

Happy Birthday B Rizzle!

My sweet husband turned 27 last week. Yikes! That seems a little old? We had a great day. While I had some work in the morning, Bradley went to some of his favorite stores, Home Depot & Lowes where he spent his birthday money. He is so cute when he goes there, looking like a kid in a candy store. Honestly, I'm glad he went alone this time. :) Later that evening we went to Tucano's Brazilian Grill for his birthday dinner. Brad's been wanting to go there for a while and I thought this would be the perfect occasion! Erin, Brian, Adam, and Megan all joined us which was really fun. We spent the rest of the weekend with family, helping with preparations for Zack and Kylee's wedding and celebrations for my little neice's second birthday. Brad was so sweet and just went along with things even though he probably would have rather been at home.
This amazing husband of mine, is the best person I could ask for to share my life with. He is smart, hilarious, adorable, balanced, incredibly caring and sensitive to my needs. This is only the third birthday we've shared together and I look forward to many more as our future grows together. I love you sweets!

I am such a sucker for love stories, and this is definitely one of the sweetest. I saw this video on the Today Show this morning and I thought everyone should see what an amazing couple this is. It makes me tear up just watching it! What a great example of love, loyalty and devotion. Ok, I promise I'll stop with the love stuff! I guess my last three postings have been about love... sorry!

Las Vegas!

For Valentine's Day, my sister and I decided to surprise Brad and Brian with a trip to see the Blue Man Group and stay a night in Las Vegas! Surprises are my favorite and I definitely had fun with this one. When Brad came home from work he found a cute little Valentine's Day gift set up in the kitchen with a candle and I had his bags all packed and ready to go. He was so excited! Keeping things a surprise is pretty difficult for me and Brad always seems to get things out of me or somehow find out, but he was definitely surprised and couldn't wait to head to Vegas. We had an awesome time. The weather was perfect and it was a fun little weekend getaway. The four of us looked like the classic tourists as we pulled up to our hotel in four matching "Las Vegas" T shirts. I'll have pictures to post soon.

Valentine's Day

Have you ever seen the Wedding Singer? If you have, you'll remember the part where Adam Sandler sings Love Stinks during a wedding reception after having been stood up at his own wedding. It's pretty hilarious in my opinion, and pretty far fetched. (I've added the click for your viewing pleasure.) I know we have all experienced heartbreak and have truly felt that love does indeed stink. And it seems that the heartbreak is only accelerated when it comes to Valentine's Day. Am I right? Well, for all those people who hate Valentine's Day because of the mushy gushy poems, flowers, and loves songs- I have to say that Valentine's Day isn't only for sweethearts. It could be a day to show people, not just a significant other, how much you love or even like them! Our cousin Jake is an amazing example of this. (Jake if you're reading this, forgive me for sharing). He recently gave the advice to spend Valentine's Day doing random acts of kindness for people who might need some extra love or attention. He explained that this was a way he found joy. Wow. How would the world be if people stopped caring only about themselves and their own circumstances and started looking and acting more on the needs of others? I'm obviously not a perfect example of this and I am extremely blessed to have a sweetheart of my own but it certainly opened my eyes to the many around me who suffer the pain and heartache of lonliness. Anyway, thanks Jake for your example and love for others.
One more thing! Thank you to my Mom who always made every holiday fun and special, including Valentine's Day. I've always loved this day. You've always made me feel very special and loved and I realize how very lucky I am to have you.

Happy Birthday to me. 25!!

I know this is a little late but I had to blog about my 25th birthday. It was wonderful! Anyone who knows me well knows that I don't care too much for cold weather. So I was a little bummed when the first of several snow storms decided to arrive on my birthday. But Bradley planned a wonderful birthday for me, as he always does. :) We went down to Asian Star in Salt Lake which is the best Chinese restaurant around, hands down. It is one of our favorites so I was thrilled when Brad took me there for my birthday. What made it even better was that Erin and Brian joined us! It was a lot of fun. After dinner Erin and Brian headed off on their own date and Bradley took me down town to the Galleven center where they have an outdoor ice skating rink. He got me all bundled up and we spent the snowy evening ice skating! It was simply gorgeous outside with the brightly decorated trees and giant snowflakes falling slowly all around. We had tons of fun pretending we were professional figure skaters and racing around the rink to see who was fastest. Needless to say Bradley has once again made my birthday perfect. Love you hun!

Christmas!

Happy Christmas to all! Brad and I had a fabulous Christmas this year. While we missed family that lives far away, we had a lot of fun waking up in our own house and running downstairs to open presents together. We have a lot of fun picking out presents and doing our best to surprise each other. I'll attach a slide show of some of our pictures. Among the many wonderful presents Bradley gave me, my favorite was probably a salon dryer used for color services for my salon. It was the best surprise! After I had opened what I thought were all of my presents, Brad pointed out that I had a little box hidden in our tree with another present! Side note: Brad's family has a little tradition of putting together creative scavenger hunts to find what is usally a bigger gift. So the little box that was hidden for me was the first clue in a fun scavenger hunt that led me all around the house and then to Brad's Dad's house where I found my new salon dryer. I'm so lucky to have a husband that sacrifices so much to make me happy and support me in my endeavors. Christmas was a fun day filled with gifts and family and food. I hope you all had a wonderful day as well!

Can you get blisters from a Video Game?

I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of video games and I never have been. However, when Adam and Megan got Rock Band 2 and invited us over for a little FHE fun on Monday, I have changed my mind! This is one of the funnest things I've ever done, truly. It's probably due to my love for music but it's also hilarious to watch everyone concentrating so hard to hit all the notes and sing the right tune. I've determined that the drums are the hardest instrument to play but also the most fun when you get it right. Brad had to keep reminding me that I didn't need to hit the drums "harder", I simply needed to get on the right beat. (Hence the blisters on my hand). I will admit I had a few temper tantrums when I couldn't hit it just right and the screen would say something like, "Poor" or "Lousy" but it was still incredibly fun. It is definitely a good thing that we don't own the game ourselves because I would have an even more difficult time going to work!