Longest Week Ever =)

Ok so this week seemed to drag on and on for me. There was nothing bad about the week but I think that I was just looking forward to Friday, it seemed that everytime that I looked at my clock only about 15 mintes had passed (I think that I might have been looking at my clock way too much). But why Friday? Because is the end of the week and I have the I next week for Christmas! So I get to come home to Denver for the week (so exciting)! I also have done none of my Christmas shopping so that has also been frustrating cause I usually get my shopping done a few weeks before Christmas. The reason for my procrastination is that I did not want to have to carry all my presents for everyone on the plane since my space if very limited. So for the next few day I get to hit the malls with the rest of the frantic masses that have put off their shopping as well. But what can a girl do? So for the rest of the week I will be hanging out with friends and family and just relaxing enjoying my vacation!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Happy Thanksgiving! I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I was able to fly to Denver for a long weekend and see my family and friends. On Thanksgiving day we ate a lot of yummy food. Hurray for food! Then on Friday Neal and I came up to the Springs. We saw our friends Mike and Mallory, and Neal's family. On Saturday we went up to the Mountains and cut down the family Christmas Tree. It was really nice to have snow for the tree hunt it made it really festive. Then Sunday came along again (too quickly might I add) and I had to fly back to KC.

The Christmas Tree Goes Up

This last weekend I decided to get into the Christmas spirit a bit early. So I put up my Christmas tree. I know that it is before Thanksgiving but I could not help myself. Well I actually have a Christmas tree forest, 3 trees. They are kind of small so it works. The trees are all decorated with lights and ornaments and it makes my little apartment feel all Christmasey. I still want to put up lights around my windows but that will have to wait til I get back from my Thanksgiving vacation.

Its My Birthday!

As my brother puts it 'So how does it feel to be 6 years away from 30.' Well for me its just another day in the neighborhood=). Well I have had a really good birthday this year. This last weekend I was able to go home for the weekend, a really quick weekend might I add. I came in Friday night. On Sarurday Neal and I got engagement pictures taken and had lunch with his parents. Then that evening I had a birthday dinner at my parents house, we ate homemade pigs in a blanket and chocolate chip cheese cake, yummy. It was really nice to seeeveryone for my birthday. On Sunday my grandparents took me out for breakfast. Then I had to pack everything for my trip back to KC. Before going to the airport everyone met for coffee. Who knew you could do so much in just 2 days.

On my actual birthday I will probably just hang out since I have to go to work on FridayWell everything in my world is going good. I got a free ice cream from Cold Stone and movie tickets from work for my birthday so I will probably treat myself to a movie and ice cream.

Face to Face

Today I set up AIM so Neal and I could video chat. It is so cool. We have built in web cams and microphones so we just talk towards our computers and we can see each other. It is so nice to be able to see my love and talk with him. It will be really nice to be able to talk more during the week with out running up huge phone bills. And now we can see each other more too= ) So it is way cool and I am way excited! Hurray for technology=)

Coffee Anyone?

Today I was driving back from the Apple store and wanted to get something to drink and I decided to go into a and try this coffee shop called Perk Up that I have driven by several times. It has a quaint atmosphere and the owners (Dave and Sam) were there so I talked to them for a bit. They are really nice and were great in letting me try drinks and suggesting drinks. I also found out that they try and get everything from local vendors which I think is awesome. I think that I have found a new local coffee shop that has really good coffee and smoothies.

What is that Noise?

For the last few days the weather here in KC has been kind of gloomy. Raining off and on and cloudy. Then yesterday right before I was getting ready to leave work I heard this high pitched noise. I thought that there was some thing wrong with the CD that I was listening to on my computer at work. So thinking nothing of it I headed out for the weekend. Dodging the rain I ran to my car and turned on the radio. Nothing on the weather. Then I ran to the bank and was talking with the teller and they asked if the sirens were still going. That is when I put two and two together. The tornado sirens. Go figure. Well I got home and turned on the news and there were 3 tornadoes that had touched down, one in Bonner Springs, Gardner and in Missouri. The first two were about 15-20 miles away from me and the last at least 30 miles from me. So for about an hour or two the tornado sirens kept going off. Thankfully nothing by me just tons and tons of rain and black skies. So I have survived my first Kansas tornadoes.

And the Hunt is on...

This last weekend (Labor Day) I was able to fly home for the weekend. It was such a jammed three days. The main goal for the weekend was to look at locations for the wedding. Neal, my mom and I all went up to Estes Park on Saturday and looked at 5 or so places. There were some that we really liked and some not so much. Then that night we met our friends Mike, Mallory and their son Ethan in Castle Rock for dinner. That was so good to see then and hang out. Then on Sunday we (my mom and dad, Neal and myself) went up to the mountains for lunch at my aunt and uncle Deb and Walt's. There we saw Jan and Benedict (Walt's brother and his wife, also Helene's parents) and my grandparents. After lunch Neal and I went and looked and more possible locations in Pine and Evergreen. Then on Monday before I left Neal and I looked and some location in Genesee. And if you have not figured it out we are looking to have a mountain wedding. Overall it was such a crazy weekend driving all over looking at different areas and locations. But I think that it was really productive because it helped us to narrow down the places that are still on our list and cross out the one that we did not like so much. Other than looking for a wedding location it was just nice to see everyone and hang out with family and friends.

The Family Visits

This last weekend (August 15-19) my family came out and spent the weekend with me. My brother Thomas was heading down to Florida to go to school. So in his way down he stopped by for the weekend to hang out. He got here Friday evening. Then my mom and dad got here on Saturday. So Thomas and I hung out all day on Saturday waiting for our parents to get in. We went down to the Plaza and walked around all the different shops there. The Plaza is an outdoor mall. It was really nice out so it was nice just to walk around. Then we headed across town to Legends (another outdoor mall) where Thomas' girlfriend Lindsey was hanging out with the basketball team from KCK where she played before going to school in Florida. So we hung out there for a while then headed back to my apartment. Mom and dad got there shortly after we did then we all went to dinner together and then spent the rest of the evening hanging out. On Sunday we went out to breakfast at the Cracker Barrel (I think our new favorite breakfast restaurant). Then we headed over to Nebraska Furniture Mart where dad got a new TV. Then after that he headed back to Colorado. A quick weekend for him. My mom and Thomas then stayed a few more days before they started for Florida to take Thomas to school down there. It was really nice to have everyone together for the weekend and was good to see Thomas before he when down to school. So a quick weekend I think for everyone but way fun=)

And the Planning Starts

Ok, I have only been engaged for about a week but both Neal and I have been so excited about getting engaged and starting the wedding planning process. We have already started throwing ideas out for where we want to have it, what we want to do during the wedding and so much more. Having all these different ideas going through my head has helped to pass the time when I am by myself. For those of you that do  not know I am living in Olathe, KS and Neal is living Colorado Springs, CO. so we do not get to see each other very often right now. Having something to work on together makes me feel like we are closer than we actually are which is really nice. Having on one that I can talk to here about our exciting time is a bit hard sometimes. There seems like that there is so much to do and so little time. But in all reality there is plenty of time and lots of people to help. I have been spending my time at Panera or the Library on- line since I so not have internet at home looking a various locations  and different ideas  for themes and color and anything else that one could think of that has to do with wedding. By the way did I say that I am so excited?!!!!

I'm Engaged!

Yesterday Neal took me out to The Melting Pot for dinner. It was such a wonderful dinner we had a four course meal. To start with we had a spinach cheese fondue, then a salad, then the main course of chicken, pork, shrimp, butternut squash ravioli, beef and veggies. Then the dessert a chocolate turtle fondue with strawberries, cheese cake, marshmallows, brownies, pound cake and then they brought out the best part of it all an Engagement ring on a bed of rose pedals surrounded be strawberries in the shape of a hard. Then Neal got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. And of course I said YES! Then the waiter brought out Champagne with strawberries. What a wonderful weekend.

All Moved In and I Made it Through My First Week

I am all moved into my new apartment=) It is starting to feel like home. I am not feeling too home sick yet since I have been so busy with work and I have talked with Neal and my mom every day so it has made me feel like I am not so far away. So.... Onto my new place. I have a nice open kitchen, a cozy living room, a huge closet and tons of light so it is really cheery. I am really enjoying my new job at Garmin. My first week here in Kansas City was really good. At work this week all I did was training, learning the different programs that they use to make the GPS's. It is extremely challenging but I think that as soon as I get everything down it will be a blast. Everyone that I work with have been so nice and welcoming to me, it has been such a blessing. This being my first weekend I think that I am going to explore the city (I was able to check out a GPS unit from work so if I get lost I will be able to get back). I do have some things that I have planed this weekend. I have to take my car in since the blinkers are not working, then on Sunday I am going to try out a new church. I am really excited for the adventures to come. =)

Garden of the Gods

Yesterday was awesome. Neal and I went to Garden of the Gods and enjoyed the wonderful day that God created and the time that we could be together before I leave. We took self portrates pictures of the two of us around the Garden. The only problem was we had to be extremely creative on where we put the camera so we could get pictures of both of us and have a glorious background as well. All I have to says is thank goodness for camera timers. It took stealth to sprint back and forth from the camera to the pose without nose diving or slipping and falling on the rocks. There were several close encounters but all in all only two injuries were sustained and was totally worth it.

Almost Gone

The count down is on... I have finished the dreaded paper work that comes along with moving so that is one less stressful thing that I do not have to deal with. I have to remember in all this that I have to rely on God and not try to do everything myself.

Getting ready to move

So I am getting ready to make the big move to Olathe, KS. It has been crazy getting everything together and getting ready to pack. I only have two weeks left here in Colorado Springs before I make my big move. I will head out on June 13. So I will have the weekend to unpack and get settled. Went out and about a week ago and found a new apartment in Olathe so all I need to do is move. Once down there I will start the process of finding a new church and getting into my new routine.