My New Hobby

So I'm not really sure why, but I have always LOVED making cakes and decorating them. John and his family have been feeding this obsession of mine by giving me tons of cake decorating books/pans/frosting stuff. Maybe one day I will find the time to take some classes and learn how to properly decorate cakes, but for now I have the Wilton website, and this:

Here are a few pictures of things I have made:

Football helmet cake for John's Birthday

Moose Cupcake

Football cake for Superbowl Sunday!

Owl Cupcakes

Lately :)

We completely fail in the blogging department. Last semester brought the craziest 4 months of our lives, and we're still working on recovering. With John working full time and me taking 15 credits of graduate level math classes, teaching a statistics recitation and tutoring, we had our hands full! I honestly think I only really cooked dinner about 5 times in 4 months, and our apartment was constantly cluttered, always with a sink full of dishes. We are now professional at our "10 minute clean up," which had to take place anytime we found out someone was stopping by, in order for me to not feel totally embarrassed at the mess. We can de-clutter, take care of the dishes and vacuum our living room in no time flat.

We also went through the adventure of buying a new car. The poor Jetta had a new problem every two weeks, and we needed a more reliable way to get around, especially with all of our trips through Sardine Canyon to get to Salt Lake. We were able to find a 2004 Acura MDX that was in great condition for a really good price. We have lovingly named him Winston. It has been so nice to have a reliable car, and one that John actually fits in haha.

My grades turned out really well last semester, and we were lucky enough to spend our Christmas break in sunny Arizona with John's family. The new semester is going really well. I only have 12 credits and will graduate with my bachelor's degree in Math and Statistics in May! I am also teaching two recitations this semester for Math 1050, and enjoying it very much. John is still working, and has taken up raquetball as his new favorite activity. He has had me play with him, and I'm horrible, but we have fun.

I have been thinking a lot lately about finding ways to be happy. Last semester, I had a really hard time being happy because of all of the stress and busyness that was going on. I always felt like I didn't even have time to breathe. All I could find happiness in was the fact that I would be graduating in May, and that I only had one semester left to get through before I could finally have time to do what I really wanted. I have thought like this my entire life. In junior high, all I wanted was to be in High School, and once I was in High School, I only wanted to be in college. I have always wished that I could be in the next stage of my life, and once I got there, where I was just wasn't good enough.

"Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows." - President Thomas S. Monson

This quote came as an answer to my prayers. I needed to find a way to be happy NOW. Not when I graduate, or when we're finally able to buy a house of our own, but right now, while I'm still in school, living in this little apartment. This has helped me put things into perspective and focus on what is really important. Even though things aren't perfect, and I don't have time to get everything done that I want to, I can find happiness in the fact that I have an awesome husband, a place to live, and that I am able to get an education. I have so many reasons to be happy, and I wouldn't trade the place I am in now for anything :)