Arizona

Clark and I were in Arizona last weekend for Jules wedding. We flew in in time for the wedding rehearsal and left the day after the wedding. It was such a busy weekend, I'm still exhausted! It was so nice visiting with family. It was CRAZY how much bigger all my nieces and nephews were! Samantha especially! She's so tall now and on Sunday she sang in church and she has the most beautiful voice! Amazing tone quality!

Here's a fun shot of the bride and groom! They met at Target years ago, had their first date at Target, and he now works there again doing maintenance. The ceremony was beautiful! It was outside and perfect weather with a waterfall in the background. We had such a good time and were so glad we could be there for their wedding! Clark gave a speech and did a really good job! He had a serious moment but mostly just made everyone laugh.

I'd have to say my favorite part of the wedding was when Jules mentioned his love for Clark during his vows. I shouldn't have been surprised but I don't think I've ever laughed that hard! So did the bride! Here's a shot right as he said it! It was hard to leave the beautiful weather! When we got home it was raining, 40 degrees, with a chance of snow that evening. Boo. Best part about the flight home was it was over booked so Clark and I volunteered to take a red-eye along with a $900 voucher. Yay! That means we'll just have to visit again soon!

Remembering Lot's Wife

My cousin Karren wrote a great post about Lot's wife from another post she had read. Check them out! If you're too lazy, here's a poem from one of the comments. Very good.
Lot's Wife - Alice Morrey Bailey
She merely turned for one last, stolen look
Before her woman's lingering mind forsook
The home her hands had decked, her smile made sweet,
The memories of her children on the street.
A spirit, set on right, must keep front-face
Forever rigid toward the chosen place
And eyes firm-narrowed in the lane of duty.
No wayside resting place and no lush beauty
Should tempt the soul to longing, no lost
Love or glory, and no treasure mete their cost
In nostalgic indecision, not even pity
For a wanton, doomed, and wicked city,
Lest the will be drawn into the sucking blaze,
Consumed to smoke and ash. The backward gaze
Can bend desire, compel the step to halt,
And slowly, slowly turn the heart to salt.

Updates & Scenic Shots

I absolutely love the fog her. It's so beautiful! Most of these were taken inside the car while I was driving. It'd be even more beautiful if it was hot.

Right now I'm working at Banana Republic, which I love. It's a lot harder than I thought it would be. They really push sales. First week I was the worst out of everyone. It was so frustrating being awful, getting talked to, etc. Week two I was numero uno! And I sold a BR card. It really was luck that my numbers were insane, but I can't even tell you how relieved I was not to be in the bottom half!!!

I just interviewed with Trade Secret and it went really well. I'll start there next week and I am so excited to be working at a salon! I am going to be busy with 2 jobs plus teaching piano lessons! Maybe then I'll be able to afford my BR discount :) They really are too expensive. I still have 5 coupons left for anyone who wants one, although it might be too late to mail them out if I don't get it out today or tomorrow.

Below is a lily pond that was GORGEOUS in the summer time, but I put off taking a picture and this is what happens! Moment is lost, so use your imagination. It was the coolest thing I ever saw. I half expected Robin Williams to come jumping out of the pond half dressed fighting a scorpion. Hmmm.

My 2 first students I got here are awesome! They remind me so much of Heather and I. Minus the fighting... :) The older girl works hard to learn a song and by the time the younger girl gets to that song she can play it like that from listening to her sister work it out. When I walked up to their house one day I heard someone singing "Old woman, Old woman, do you want to marry me!" I laughed and told Yvette about it and she laughed and said "so sorry, so sorry but you see I'm 93!" I'm glad they practice enough that their family has the songs memorized as well! I can't imagine how my parents listened to all that practicing! Maybe it wasn't that bad since Heather and I were the only ones with Bastien books.

Usually the sign says Bulls For Rent. I asked Clark what that meant. I'm slow.

Below is a typical road in Missouri. Long, empty and not flat. I got so car sick when I first moved here. I do much better now....if I'm the driver...

Marshfield Cabin

For a couple of months Clark and I got to live in this beautiful cabin for free! This lady in our ward offered it to us to help us save some money and move out. All the wood used was from their property, it was gorgeous! But no fireplace. Weird. Still can't get over that. This was our bedroom. The furniture was 1937 Montgomery Ward. There was a huge mirror and hutch to the left that went with the set. I think something was living in the attic because I had major flash backs of cat fights when I'd hear something scampering above my head. Very nostalgic.

The stairs were my favorite, although I was really paranoid about falling on them.

And just because it's cool, a rocking horse. You can see the wall has some serious water damage. Whoever built it didn't seal it because when it rained most of the water came through.

It was so nice living in a 3 storie cabin but we are SO HAPPY to be living in Springfield now in our own apartment!!! We can get the floor dirty, leave a mess, and not worry about being woken up from unexpected visitors early in the morning! Oh, and we have HEAT!!! Yay!

Catching up!

I took pictures to blog but, yeah, never happened. So here's a back track. This was probably in May. I went to the St. Louis temple with my friend Yvette, her husband Arlen, who's taking the shot, and their friend Wilma. Bunch of shorties, but it was fun! Clark had to work that Saturday, which was a bummer. I'm sure we'll go again though with Yvette and Arlen.

So I couldn't get a good shot because it was so tall. So I took a top half and bottom half shot.

It really was an all day event. We met at 5am and drove 3 1/2 hours there, stopped for some breakfast at our local Hardy's (Carl's, Jr. for you west coasters) and made it for the 10am then got right back in the car and drove home. After we stopped at Steak N Shake of course.

Banana Republic

I now work at Banana Republic. It's a love/hate relationship. I LOVE working there. I HATE not making enough to shop there. Oh well. But that doesn't mean that you can't! :) I have some giftcards for 30% to give family and friends. If you want one email me your address! It's for November 12-15. First come first serve. I only have a 10 left.