Someone's in the Kitchen

Becoming unemployed has given me the time to do a few projects that I have wanted to do but haven't had the time to previously. Let's face it, I have to find ways to keep myself busy, and day time TV isn't very good. The biggest project I decided to take on was painting my kitchen cabinets.



I've thought about this project for months, bringing home paint numerous paint swatches to try and decide on a color. I had the hardest time deciding on a look that would go the rest of the decor. Then I found it, the color I thought would tie it all together and I couldn't wait to get started. With 13 cabinet doors, and 10 drawers I figured the kitchen was small enough to complete in a couple days. I was wrong. Everything about this project took twice as long as I thought it would. Emptying out the cabinets and drawers; cleaning off everything, sanding, and priming.



Finally we could paint.



Almost a full week after starting, everything was done and ready to be put back together. With the addition of a few knobs and pulls, the kitchen is complete and I love it. I think I've had my fill of painting projects for the year though.

Movin on up!

You may remember this post where I talked about the graduation of our senior nursery. After church on the final Sunday of 2009, we had an unexpected discussion with the our bishopric's second counselor and we were asked if we would be willing to move on with our senior nursery and become Sunbeam teachers. Finding no good reason to say no, we agreed realizing the challenge and the patience we would need in the weeks ahead. Three weeks in the transition has gone about how we expected as we try to keep their interest, and them in their seats.

On their first Sunday in primary they received their own paper back copy of the Book of Mormon in a fabric carrying pouch. They were all excited to receive their own scriptures. "My dad's going to be so proud of me," exclaimed on little boy. Once they discovered that there were also pictures inside everyone want to find the picture of Jesus in their copy. "I can't find my Jesus!" They were also thrilled to find pictures of "pirates," also known as Lehi and his family on the boat to the Americas. In the coming weeks hopefully we will find ways to teach them about the gospel and that we will find joy in the calling.

How do you measure a year?

525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 365 days of laughter. 52 weeks of fun. 12 months of love. 2 nights spent apart. 0 regrets. On December 30, 2009 Nate and I celebrated our FIRST wedding anniversary. In some ways it feels like the time has just flown by, and in others it seems like the years we were apart were so long ago.

For our anniversary we skipped gifts and spent two nights at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs resort in North Phoenix, taking advantage of their dining package which gave us $100 in dining certificates to spend during our time there. We ate some delectable food including flat iron steak, creamy sundried tomato and artichoke risotto, warm lava brownie, and a heavenly creme brulee the size of a salad plate topped with fresh berries. After the business and stress of the holidays it was a gift just to get away from everything and spend some time together. Over the next year we will have changes and challenges as I hope to start a new job and Nate will begin his residency. It is often said that the first year of marriage can be the hardest, if this is true then I can only imagine the years of happiness that are before us. As the card on my flowers stated, "one down, 79 more to go."