Best day off EVER!

So today, today was a grand day! I woke up at 5:30 and ran 4 miles and then did some yoga. Got ready for the day and played with the girls. They have this huge toy boat that we filled with water in the back yard and the girls just went nuts! After, Sadie wouldn't put a diaper on. She was just running around the play area, so happy and free! ha ...then she peed. It got on the book shelf and a couple of her toys. So I quickly grabbed her and got the diaper on while Diana cleaned up the pee. By lunch time Diana gave me the rest of the day off. I went and got the new mumford & sons and the FUN cd's for my car. Then I went home and got ready for my first Arizona date!
Mitchell picked me up around 2:30, I even had Paul meet him haha. First we went to his sister Shannon's boyfriend Erick's mom's house and loaded up two couches and a dresser in the back of Erick's truck and moved it to his mom's new apartment. Erick had a cover on the back of his truck which we had to take off to fit everything in for one trip. Erick and Mitch held it up while Shannon and I were unscrewing screws and Mitch made it a race and kept telling me not to let him down haha and I won!! :) Bonus points for me!! Ha! Then Shannon and I carried a couch out of the truck, maneuvered it up the stairs, and into the apartment without a problem! Pretty impressive concerning the fact that Mitch and Erick broke the neighbors porch light with the couch hahaha!!
The four of us then headed to the theaters and watched Trouble With a Curve, which was good. A little slow in the middle, then picked up with a great ending. Mitch said that before I did, and was exactly what I had thought! After the movie, his mom called him and emailed him this coupon to Humble Pie, so we all went to eat! Erick and Shannon shared a salad and sandwhich, Mitchell and I shared a delicious pizza! And with the coupon, dinner only cost $6! haha After dinner we headed to the Jone's home, we played with Mitch's niece and nephew and they were so cute and so fun! Then his dad came home and I met him, he had just gotten back from a 6 mile run! Makes my 4 miler look sissy.. haha! But he was very nice! He made me some chocolate milk! :) After his niece and nephew left we played some Call of Duty, thank heavens! As if I didn't get along with these people enough already!! AND after that we had some mint ice cream and watched modern family!!! I couldn't believe it! haha I was able to be completely me, made jokes and everything. I felt so comfortable with them!
I got home at 11:30 haha so a total of 9 hours! Talk about a long first date, but it was great!! Everything was so much fun! When he walked me to the door he asked if I would go boating with him and his friend when they go, and obviously I said yes!! With the exception that I am not working.

So in conclusion, it was a great day! I am really happy! :) And I am excited to see what happens next.

Catch up time!

So I haven't had access to my blog for a couple days.. Friday was the day for me to leave for Riverside California. Which is a good 4.5 hour drive. Thursday night I decided it was time to do some laundry for the first time since I moved here hahaha. And that was at 10 at night, so my clothes get done at about midnight, and they didn't dry all the way. I remember Grandma Cleo saying that clothes will mold if they are folded wet, so my solution was to have all my drawers open and hang out all my clothes from there and lay them out on the floor ha my room was a pigsty! But they layed there all night and were dry and ready to pack/put away in the morning.
That night I didn't sleep well, I would wake up every few hours thinking I had slept in and jumped out of bed to start packing. Only then to notice that it was too early to get up. I did get out of bed on time, started folding up my clothes and either packing it in my suitcase or sticking it back in the drawer. Halfway packed and Diana comes downstairs. She had just gotten home from work, it was almost 8am. Gave me some good/bad news... I had a flat tire. Bad because I had to buy a new one, good because I probably wouldn't have noticed it and could have driven with a flat for 320 miles. So I go get my tire fixed, finish packing, and hit the road. I barely got to see the girls before I left and got a quick hug in from Grandma Cleo, this was the last time I would see here until Thanksgiving, if then.
So I hit the road just after noon. Driving is awesome! I am just by myself, get to think about whatever I wanted, and I have 5 mix cd's that some of my cool friends made me before I left home so I had plenty of good music! And 5 hours in a car didn't even phase me! It was weird that it was so easy for me. I got to Riverside just before 5pm and KC let me park in the appt. complex parking lot. We take all my stuff inside, I meet his roommate, Reed. Who is hilarious! Then KC and I changed and left for the beach! But by the time we got there it was already sunset and getting cold, so we didn't get in. We went on the pier and ate at Ruby's Diner, had a delicious bacon cheeseburger! :) Then we headed home and watched Fantastic Mr. Fox! Love that movie! :) Then about one in the morning, Jessica gets home. She is KC's friend from the singles ward that let me stay in her apartment. Her roommate was getting married that Saturday so her room was open. She was very nice!
Saturday morning I woke up, got ready, then went to KC's for breakfast. We made french toast, YUM! Then we went to my birth dad's second of four softball games. They had lost the first one then won the one we watched. Brian and KC got along almost too well! Sports is man's universal language!! Haha! I just sat there.. But they were joking and watching football and all that. I like watching sports, but I don't know anything about each individual player. I don't feel the need to either. So I just watched while they talked. The guy in charge of the whole tournament really likes Brian, and Brian loves to introduce me to everyone haha but then he was introducing KC as my boyfriend.. which was a little weird.. I don't think KC even heard it. It was so loud in there. But anywho.. we met this guy and he is beyond rich!! He meets us and just buys us lunch!! Then he invites us to dinner with the team at this Brazilian restaurant and we were supposed to dress all fancy and everything. We had to leave so KC could get to practice on time. Then I came back for the forth game, which they lost.. I took Brian and two of his buddies back to their hotel, and was going to pick up KC and come back for dinner. Then I got on the freeway. It took my two hours to get back to KC's. And there was no way I was about to drive all the way back just for dinner. KC was trying to make me feel better and so we went to Buffalo Wild Wings. He wants to live there! He doesn't have cable so he can't watch sports, and BWW has a tv on every inch of wall in the building! So I doubt he remembers a word I said that night. And the food was pretty good, I was kind of expecting more.. maybe just because I had been planning on Brazilian food.
That night we watched this movie called 'Freedom Writers' which was great! We had bought ingredients to make oreo balls. KC was exhausted so I mashed the cookies and mixed it all. He put the vanilla chocolate in the microwave to melt, but had it in too long and it burnt. The oreo balls just aren't the same without chocolate on top.. So they are just sitting in his fridge ha. He was laying on floor after cleaning up and asked me to come look at stars with him (the ceiling) and we just layed there and fell asleep. Jessica called and asked where I was so I left and went to bed again. ha.
Sunday morning I got up and ready, packed all my stuff and said goodbye to Jess. Had some eggs with KC then started making the lasagna I owed him. Stinking Packers for losing to the 49ers.. gees. But he helped me, well he kind of took over. He seemed to know more about making lasagna than I do. But it turned out great! It was surprising that it was so good after our oreo balls incident haha. Then I cleaned up while KC and Reed showered and got ready for church. I even got to pick out ties :) haha. KC walked me out to my car and I left.
While driving home I was in the middle of no where, almost to the California/Arizona border, no cars near me, and I picked up the speed a little.. And then there was a cop.. He just pulled out and followed me. I was getting off to get gas anyways. But my tags had expired the day before and I still haven't gotten my plates yet. So after I pull into the gas station, he turns on his lights. Wrote me down for 10 over even though I was going 91 in a 70.. ha So that isn't going to be cheap. But my car functioned well the whole trip. I made it home safe. The DaBells were still gone, they had taken Grandma Cleo to the air port. When the girls got home they ran in "KA KA KA!" Haha (They can't say their R's yet, so my name in Ka) What a good feeling! I was so worried that they would hate being with me without Grandma Cleo there. And it hasn't been too bad!
Monday was FHE with the Rio Vista ward, my last activity with that ward. By now I have some friends there so it wasn't awkward. And I have met many more! I had two guys ask for my number haha :) And I got to see Aaron's new bike! Mitchell wasn't there, I guess it was pay back for not being at church ha. But he and I are looking for teammates to do the tough mudder with us this spring! So far we have us, and one other haha. Mitchell and I are supposed to do something tonight.. so we'll see if that falls through. He is a good looking man! And funny, so it could be fun. I just wish things with me and KC were easier. Long distance stuff stinks. But things will work out how they are supposed to, I don't doubt that. Everything I have been through has made me the person I am today, and I wouldn't want it any other way! :)

Blur

I am starting to have a lot of trouble remembering what day it is.. Everything is too similar. I do the same thing for 9 hours a day. Luckily I get to go play ultimate frisbee tonight with the young single adult ward! They play every thursday night, so I only get to go when Diana isn't working, in for tonight having grandma Cleo here. :) I have met some really funny people! These two girls that have been friends forever, and I were talking at FHE on monday, they are so fetching hilarous!! They are like twice my age... but we sure got along well!! :) I just wish that my schedule was more set, like I thought it would be. Diana's schedule isn't a set schedule so some days she will just take over and give me half the day off. But I still don't know what to do with all my extra time..

Tomorrow afternoon I leave for Riverside, California. Hopefully for a great weekend! Grandma Cleo insisted that I leave at noon so that I don't have to drive in the dark, and I didn't argue with her! haha Friday will most likely just be a movie and bed. Saturday morning we will go to one of my birth father's softball games, and grocery shop. Then KC has practice.. so I will probably go back to the fields and watch couple games. Then KC and I are going to the beach! :) And then I am making him lasagna... I sort of lost a bet haha stinking packers, should be doing much better this season! So KC got to pick what I make for him, lasagna it is! I just hope he likes my cooking, the DaBell's sure have! :) But I will leave Sunday afternoon, when KC leaves for church. He has a game Sunday night, I really wish I could watch a game. But I need to be home. I really hope that all goes well!

Today, I had the morning off. So I sat in my room. Then Diana, Paul, Grandma Cleo, the girls and I went to JoAnns and babys r us! It was so fun being out and about with the girls! Then they took us out to Chipotle, which was pretty good! I like having things to do! Time flys though, like the girls have been napping for 2 1/2 hours! I knew they'd be tired, but it has gone by so fast! And I haven't gotten anything done haha. And I still can't believe it's thursday! I keep forgetting that frisbee is tonight and that I leave tomorrow. And I won't have time to pack tomorrow, so I have do laundry and pack tonight. So hopefully I get everything done. Water prices are higher certain times of the day, so I can't do laundry yet.. I have just turned into a lazy bum. I just sit around all day! Haha and I have only ran once since I got here.

Luckily I have active friends! Ha! My new friend, Mitch, is really funny! And he is a runner, so he has already started planning 10ks and stuff for me to do. I'm glad because it will get me off my butt! We are looking for a team to do this run called Tough Mudder. As far as I understand, it is a 10 mile obstacle course! It looks like a blast!! I need to get in shape though! Luckily it isn't until February!! It looks freaking hard, but how cool would it be to say that you did it? To conquer something like that? I want that!! So time to start working!! :)

Best Night

Today, the girls have been pretty ornery. They wouldn't eat enough, so they didn't sleep well, so they were even more cranky after their nap! But WOO! Diana woke up early today and took Paul and the girls shoe shopping! So I got to lay downstairs for an extra 30 mins! :)

I went up at about 5:30 and started making my favorite food! Sweet and sour over rice! And I have never cooked for Paul, Diana, or Grandma Cleo.. So I was way nervous! Luckily I was alone when I cooked so I didn't have anyone watching me. When I was adding the brown sugar, I was trying to pack it in the measuring spoon when it snaps in half and all the brown sugar flipped ALL over me! Mostly down my shirt!! I went outside, in the backyard, and shook everything out. Thankfully the back yard is surrounded by 10 ft concrete walls. :) But I got everything cleaned up, finished cooking, got the rolls in the oven, and the table set as the family gets home! BAM! Best timing ever!

The girls are still ornery, tired, and hungry! So we all sit right down and dig in. Diana was amazed! Everyone loved it! Except the twins.. but that was expected. I learned that babies have to taste something 17 times before they can decide if they like it or not! That is a lot! But when they taste something new for the fist few times, they just aren't used to the taste and their first reaction is to just spit it out. Diana and Paul have done SO much research for these girls! Talk about love! And I get to learn it now, before I have my own kids! Like Sadie was classified as 'Failure to Thrive', and I had no clue what that was! I found myself wanting to research it myself and see what I could do to help her, and to prevent my children to have it!

This job is such a blessing in my life! And is a part of my path back to my heavenly father. I am preparing myself for my future in the best way possible! I am practicing for when I have a family of my own to take care of, to cook for and to clean up after. Hopefully I can get signed up for school in the spring and get some online college done while I am still here working. Then I can prepare myself for a career to provide for a family. I am just so happy to be able to see heavenly fathers hand in my life and see all the blessings he is generously giving!

And to top off a great night, my best friend Jaders and I talked on the phone for a good hour!! :) Oh how great it is to laugh my head off! :) I miss her much, she is the only person (outside my family) that I can be a complete freak with! And gosh, do we have fun or what!! :)

FHE

Monday was a Monday! But I was looking forward to FHE with the singles ward! I had met some funny people, and it gave me something to do! :)

So we all met at the stake president's house, well mansion! It was so huge! And they have a huge yard and a huge pool with a diving board AND water slide AND hot tub! It was so nice! We had a BBQ and then swam! I met some HILARIOUS girls, they are a lot older than me... but we already get along SO well! They are so funny! I love it! I have needed to laugh so much! If I laugh around the twins, then they will do whatever made me laugh like 20 times.. so I have to try to contain myself.

I get less sleep every night. And I always have these weird, random dreams. But KC is always convinced they mean something. Do dreams always mean something?? Or can they just be random sometimes? What about when you have dreams that you had years ago?? My old boss told me that dreams really only last one second! Which is crazy because I have freaking long dreams!!

This friday, I am leaving to go and visit the 'wonderful' city of Riverside CA! And Grandma Cleo is letting me leave at noon so I don't have to drive in the dark. :) I am hoping things re-click as easy and as strong as the first time, if not better! And my birth father is being flown to Riverside for work! And he will be playing in a softball tournament on saturday! So I will get to see him too! :) Hopefully we can get everything planned out before I get there.

One thing I'm worried about is how attached the twins are to Grandma Cleo. They run to her for everything!!  Yet she says they talk about me whenever I'm not there... but I am doubting it. I just hope that after she leaves on Sunday, that they won't always be asking me about her. I just know they will and just cry because they are stuck with me instead... I really hope they can get used to being with just me.

Aunt Hannah

After the temple yesterday afternoon, I had an amasing opportunity to go and my my aunt Hannah. She is my birth mother's sister. Her family cam e to thanksgiving last year, so I had already met her husband and two beautiful daughters!

Hannah made me some lunch, then we looked through and entire box of pictures!! There were SO many stories! It was so fun to see Camille when she was young, I got to keep a couple of her modeling pictures! She is flawless! I saw pictures of Hannah when she moved to New York and found work on her own, pictures of her brothers (my favorite is Josh in his toga costume for college HAHAHA) and pictures of her family growing up! It was such a neat experience to meet another part of my family, someone who has influenced my birth mother and therefore myself. Hannah and Camille were so close, Hannah was the first person Camille told about her pregnancy and when her and my birth father and broken up, Hannah decided that they should raise me, just the two of them. But, adoption was the best option for me. And boy did it work out perfectly!! :)

Wonderful Weekend

Today, was a good day! I slept in until 9, cleaned up the girls after breakfast, got myself ready, and headed out the door! I made an hour journey to the BEAUTIFUL Mesa Arizona temple today!

When I was looking for my recommend, it had gotten stuck in my wallet, and while trying to get it out, I found my drivers license AND my social security card!! Which I have been looking for both for MONTHS! And I swear I looked through every inch of that wallet multiple times!! Oh the blessings of the temple! :)








At the temple, I joined a stake group that had arrived just before me, found out there were also from Peoria! And it was my stake!! HAHA how crazy is that! Just the right place and the right time!





I am excited to be able to go to the singles ward tomorrow, meet some people my age, find some stuff to do with all my free time! Hopefully it will be a good change! :)

HOORAY FOR FRIDAY!

Diana has the night off work tonight, so she woke up as I was feeding the girls lunch. She came and took over and told me I have the night off too! :) So now I can go drive around with some daylight, find some places to run to in the mornings, find some cool stores, and do nothing if that's what I feel like.

I went to the mall, but it is boring when you are alone and don't know anyone... So I am just chilling in my room. Haven't found a place to run yet, I think I will just go anyways, tomorrow. :) I went to Wal Mart to fix my air freshener problem. HA! So I spend forever picking out the spray scent for the Air Wick applicator, but they didn't have vanilla... so I get lavender, then grabbed a plug in for the vanilla Glade scent I already have. Get home and notice the the stupid plug in I bought was Air Wick!! So I still can't use the vanilla!!! >:( Hahaha I am not the brightest..

End of the day!

What a great time, to sit here and have my mind at ease! The girls are sound asleep, and I can relax. Grandma Cleo and I are becoming great friends! I love talking with her! She is always so happy and can so easily compare things to the gospel. And if she doesn't make that comparison, then it leaves a spot for me to fill in and see the blessings from the experiences she, and her family, have had. What a fabulous habit to have and to grow on! :)

After dinner today, Diana went to work while Paul and Cleo took the girls to Pet co and Radio shack to get some shopping done. And I got to be home alone, and I cleaned!!! I loved it! I miss babysitting for Kristie Palfreyman because I loved her girls, and I LOVED cleaning her house! hahaha So funny that after not being told to clean, that I actually want to! And boy, does it look dang good when you want to clean! I got to wipe down the girls' high-chairs, sanitize toys, load the dish washer and hand wash the extras, wipe down all the counters and even the floors! MAN! I loved it! :) I'm sure my parents miss the days when I felt like this! When I am tired, and I can't seem to fall asleep, I always feel like cleaning! My parents would always tease me before bed and ask me if I was wanting to go clean, but then I'd hurry down to my room and jump in bed. Ha ha! It just isn't the same when you are told to clean.

Sophie is starting to like sitting on her big girl potty. Diana really knows the facial expression of when the girls are going potty.. hopefully I can catch on to that so I can help teach them to tell me when they need to go potty, before they go potty in their diapers. KC was giving me a hard time because they are almost 2 and they aren't potty trained yet. Because he was just so special and was trained when he was just 16 months. But with both parents working so much it is very understandable why they aren't, and they seem to be ready to learn. So things are looking up! :)

I'm hoping that this weekend I will be able to get out of the house. I have only been out once since I got here.. I need to be able to drive around in the day light so that I can find some places to run to and not get lost! Ha! My mom is also sending me my Pilates/yoga videos, then I can work out in the morning and during the girls' naps instead of just sitting around, eating junk food and watching that 70's show... Which still cracks me up!

That is one thing I miss most, laughing. I really miss Sunday dinners with my family where we, well at least I, would just laugh at EVERYTHING! And I wasn't afraid of what everyone thought of me, and I didn't have to worry about the little girls copying me. Now I have to try and be quiet so the girls will be quiet. Especially when Diana is still sleeping. I just haven't seemed to laugh as much since I got here.. not that I'm not happy, just growing up a bit. Once I get involved with some youth my age at the singles ward I hope I will be able to get my laughs out. We'll see how it goes!

Wednesday was definitely hump-of-the-week day! The girls were very up and down. One second they are having fun, the next they are fighting and crying. Grandma Cleo and I did our best to keep them together. Paul gave them snacks right before lunch time so they wouldn't eat, so we just put them down for their nap, knowing it wouldn't be a 3 hour one.. When they got up I fed them some shells and cheese and grapes and apple sauce. I had some music playing so I would sing and dance while they ate haha they really liked that! And Grandma Cleo and left us alone, I'm sure as a test to see how I would do on my own, But she gave me a thumbs up! :) And boy did that feel great!!



This morning has been just about the same. Very emotional girls. Sophie is a tease!! She will steal sisters puppy just to make her mad! Then they both end up crying. And they both run to Grandma for hugs. I try to hug them and they will just run to her instead :( It will be interesting to see how they are when she leaves after next week. Hopefully they will be okay with just me here.



Today we might go for a walk so I can meet the neighbors. They have a son that recently returned from a mission and he said he would help show me around and show me to the singles ward on Sunday. If not today maybe tomorrow evening, since Diana doesn't work that night I only have to watch the girls for half a day, well until she wakes up. Then I have free time.



This week seems SO long! And yet I can't believe it's thursday!! It's is so weird! I never get outside, I can barely talk to what friends I still have. I do get to call my family everyday! I miss them a TON!! And I have officially been away from this certain boy too long that it is starting to go downhill... :( But things will work out the way they are meant to be, I don't doubt Heavenly Father's plan for me. And I am more than willing to work at it and to be patient, if that is what I need to do.

The girls are starting to get potty trained! Sadie is catching on to the concept, but she always tells me 'potty' after she has gone in her diaper. But I take her to her big girl potty and she loves just sitting there! But she knows where mommy and daddy poop, she just can't tell us in time. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! She will go potty in the nest week, that is my goal! She nods when I ask her to tell me before she uses her diaper, but hasn't yet.. so here we go!

Another Day

Day two was exhausting. The girls, well mainly Sophie, was very fussy today! And if sister cries, then Sadie has to join in! So daddy had to come out and help a couple of times. I think they are just used to being in Utah with mommy all day and not having a schedule. So it might take a couple of days to get back to how it was before. The maids came today. So awesome that we have maids!! And the yard-care takers came this morning! So we can just focus on the girls! :) While the maids cleaned the play area, we took the girls down stairs. They played with a giant box for like 20 minutes straight! Just hiding from me! HA!

                                                 (curly hair is Sadie, straight is Sophie)

Who knew you could have so much fun with an empty box! Too cute! Lunch was way messy today! But Sophie sure loves her shells and cheese! It was ALL over her face! I feel weird taking pictures with Grandma Cleo here... so most pictures will have to wait for two weeks..  But they did take an awesome THREE hour nap today! Gave me some down time! Got to watch that 70's show ha and play the wii! :) Paul made some yummy (burnt) steaks for dinner! HA! But still good. Went to Wal Mart after the girls went to bed, got just a few things to make life easier down stairs. Like a laundry basket, garbage cans, some bathroom essentials, and an awesome poster that has the cutest saying AND matches my room colors perfectly!




"I can be strong, I can be weak. I can be proud, I can be meek. I can be gentle, or I can be tough, I can explode when I've had enough. Sometimes I lose, but I will always try. I always get up, when I get knocked down, and make a smile, out of any frown. I hope God likes me, that day that we meet. If only for a chance to sit at his feet. And be by his side, year after year, while all of the bad things just disappear. So when life gets tough, I'll never forget... HEAVEN IS WHERE I BELONG!"

How awesome! :) I also got an air freshener and the scent for it, came home to use it and noticed that the sprayer thing is air wick, and the scent is glade... So no smell goods in my room yet.. :/ We'll just save that for another day I guess.

I was hoping to get to bed earlier tonight.. Last night I woke up multiple times because it was so hot. The basement is kept at 74 degrees... which isn't bad! Last night was just weird! I had a dream that I had a baby girl, and I was at Oma's house with her and she kept telling me to tell her father about her. Apparently I wasn't married and he didn't even know he was a father... SCARY!! Hoping tonight is much better!

First Day

Well I made it through the first day! Not too shabby! :) Paul made some delicious stir fry for dinner! Then Diana gave a great lesson for FHE! And we got to color!! Of course the girls had to help me, couldn't do it without them! Just got them changed and in bed. They really are just big balls of fun! They always find more energy! I can't wait to be married and have some of my own! If they turn out this cute anyways!! haha Well I definitely need sleep! These girls use up all my energy! ha I need to start taking a nap when they do! :) And nothing is better than more sleep! Diana bought me all my favorite snacks at costco today! YUM! Time for a bedtime snack and the lights out for me!

We made the 12 hour drive from Orem to Peoria yesterday, which surprisingly went by REALLY fast! Probably because I had these beautiful girls to play with! We got home at about 9 last night, right in time to be caught by all the rain! I was soaked after getting all my bags out of my car. They have been so good! Today, I got up early and unpacked and arranged everything in my room and bathroom. Then when the girls got up, they ate, played, got changed, went to Costco with mommy and I, learned cheese and tree in sign language, played, played some more, ate mac and cheese, played again, and are finally down for a nap! Grandma Cleo is here to help show me the ropes and get me used to the girls' schedule. And now that the girls are sleeping, I have nothing to do! I don't know anyone, don't know where anything is, and don't know what to do with my time, yet! Eventually I will get the hang of things. I almost wish I had school to occupy this free time with some homework..  But all is well! :)