Fraidenburg

Easter x 2

2011-04-30T16:09:00.008-06:00

Happy Easter! We were fortunate enough not to only celebrate Easter once, but TWICE! We enjoyed it with both families. The Easter Bunny visited the Poulsen's a week before Easter. Wade and Kali came and visited us from Orem. Let me first of all give a shout out to my sis-in-law, Kali. She is such a creative human being! She came up with all sorts of games for us to play. She is amazing. After we played those games and the kids woke up from their naps, we taught the two youngsters how to do an Easter Egg hunt...
Miles did great. With Hadley, we soon discovered she realized there were treats in the eggs. And all she wanted to do is pick up an egg and eat what was inside. We should have put more 17 month friendly candy inside. However, Hadley doesn't mind the taste of tinfoil, but it caused me more stress then needed.

This is my sister, Niki, showing us what an egg looks like. Just in case you didn't know. It's tradition to decorate eggs with the Poulsen's. We've always colored the eggs with crayons first before dying them to personalize it a little more.

We taught Hadley how to decorate eggs. She caught on really fast. She really enjoyed scribbling all over the eggs. She decorated most of them. She is spoiled...

Easter Sunday, we went down to South Jordan to spend the holiday with the Fraidenburg's. We had a delicious dinner. Perfection! John and I tried to convince them to play some of the games Kali had us do with my family. We only did one - I think it works better if Kali is there. But, we still laughed...
This a picture I had to put in of Hadley. We love her BIG blue eyes.This is Hadley in her Easter Sunday dress. John and Hadley decorating eggs at the Fraidenburg's. Again, Hadley decorated quite a bit.
And this is Grandma Fraidenburg playing with Hadley and Brody. It never rained like the weather man said it would, so we ran outside to blow some bubbles. The kids loved it!

Thanks to our families for creating amazing memories for us to keep. We love and appreciate all the you do for us!!

Mullet Be Gone

2011-04-27T20:53:00.006-06:00

Most moms (like myself) dream of there daughters having beautiful flowing hair to braid and accessorize. My grandmother did it to my mom, my mother did it to me, so I plan to do it to Hadley. It's tradition. So what am I suppose to do when my child's hair grows everywhere on her head, except for the sides, and she ends up with... yes... a mullet...

(Before)

In the past, I've told young mothers to suck it up and just cut the length off so their daughter can actually have a cute haircut vs something that came out of the movie Joe Dirt. So - the time came when I finally decided I better take my own advice. I took what was of the above picture, and cut it into this...

(After)

And mamas... You can still accessorize!
I'm realizing my baby is not so much a baby anymore.

5 Years Ago Today...

2011-04-14T12:23:00.002-06:00

Scott, John's roommate and my co-worker, wanted to go on a double date. He asked John to find someone to go with them. John, being new to Logan, really didn't know anybody. He asked a cute girl from work, but she couldn't go. John was ready to tell Scott he was on his own. Scott told John he had to. Scott didn't want to take the girl all by himself, because he was worried that it would be awkward. John thought for a second, and asked, "Well, what about the girl who cut our hair." Scott said, "Tina? That's perfect! She knows the girl I'm taking, too. So we'll have fun. I'll get her number from work."

Thursday, April 13, 2006 at about 11:00 pm, I went downstairs in my room. Went to my phone that was plugged into the wall, and noticed a had a voicemail from a number with a Salt Lake area code. What? Who would be calling me from Salt Lake? I listened. "Hey, Tina. This is your buddy, John. I just wanted to know what you are doing tomorrow night. If you could give me a call, that would be great. Talk to ya later." "Oh my gosh!" I remembered who John was. The tall guy, with the luscious brunette hair. My mind began to race. How did he get my number? Is he a stalker? Do I really want to go? I promised myself not to date clients. That wouldn't be too professional. He is a nice guy, I should go. But, I just got our of a 2 year relationship just 2 months before. I'm off men now. However, it would be so nice to get out of the house. But, do I want to go with someone I really don't know. Are we going on a double date? Or is it going to be totally awkward. Ugh! What to do? I talked to my mom, and her famous reply she gave me, I'll never forget, "Oh, Tina. Just go out with him. It's not like your going to marry him." I figured just to sleep on it.

Friday, April 14, 2006, I get to work and decided to call John. I had every intention to say No. I woke up with menstral cramps, and I just figured it was prbably best to keep work and personal life seperate. I gave him a call. "Hello?" "Hey John, it's Tina." "Hey, Tina. What are you doing?" "Nothing just at work." "Well, when you get off the phone, what will you be doing tonight?" What? Who says that? I was so confused. My plan of conversation soon took another route. "I don't know, John. What am I doing?" "You're going on a date!" I gave him him a pitty/nervous laugh. "Oh, okay. Sounds good." Great. Not what I wanted to do. I told him where I lived and he was picking me up at about 7. I hung up, and called out to my co-workers, "Does anyone have midol or ibproufen? Like, a lot?"

That night, John picked me up (when I noticed his brown eyes). We went to the Blue Bird (noticed how hard and how much he made me laugh). Went ice skating (later found out it was an excuse to hold my hand), went rock climbing (luckily the medicine and caffeine kicked in at about this time) and went back to his place and hung out and chatted til 1:00 in the morning. I had so much fun! I can't remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did. John was so much fun. I wouldn't say I fell in love that night, but I defiantly felt like I found a long lost best friend. I couldn't believe how well we clicked. It was a night that I thought was going to be a nightmare, turned into the best night I've ever had! Awesome first date!

5 Years Ago Today...

2011-04-07T13:13:00.002-06:00

At the time, I was just beginning on building my clientele. In the hair industry, you don't make any money if you don't have someone sitting in your chair. So I chose to keep my job at the Buckle, as a "freight girl", to help keep my head above water. I worked there Monday and Tuesday, and then I did hair Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. I was into my 2nd month at the Hair Company, and I was finally getting into the hang of things.

Friday, April 7, 2006, was just a typical day at work. I was sitting there, chit-chatting with the girls I worked with, when the phone finally rang. It was for me. I answered, and it was a guy I worked with at the Buckle. I cut his hair 2 days before.

"Hey, Scott. What's going on?"

"Hey, Teens. First of all I have to tell you how great my hair is. In fact, I'm calling to set up an appointment for my room-mate. He noticed I had a haircut, and he needs one, so I told him he should have you cut it since you did such a great job. He has to be in at work by 2:00. Can you get him in before that?"

"Yeah. I think I can squeeze him in." (Since I had nothing on my books.) "What's his name?"

"John Fraidenburg. F-R-A-D-E..... no, F-R-A-I-D-E-N-B-E-R... B-U-R-G. "

I ended up just writing down "John F.", and I remember thinking to myself, "I'd HATE to have a last name like that."

12:30-ish rolled around and Scott came with this tall guy with thick, luscious, shaggy, brunette hair. "Hey, Scott. Your hair looks good." "Thanks, I had nothing to do, so I thought I would come along."

I turned towards the guy and said, "You must be John."

He replied, "That's me." "Okay, come on back."

Nothing great happened. I just cut his hair, mostly talked to Scott (because I knew him a little bit), and ocassionly asked John a question. I found out he was from Salt Lake. Came to Logan to start school the following fall. Worked at Convergy's and American eagle, but quit both to start working at Qwest the following Monday. Served his mission in Brazil, and that's where he met his roommate, Scott, that talked him into moving up to Logan to go to school. I remember thinking he was a way nice guy, with nice hair.... and that was that.

I charged him for his debt to me, and he gave me a great tip. He told me, "Thanks." I told him, "You bet. See ya later." And I didn't think anything of it. Come to find out, John didn't either.

Until the next week...

Reality Check

2011-03-29T22:07:00.002-06:00

Hadley: (insert the highest, deafening scream that can possibly be heard by the human ear)
John: "Okay, sis. Let's go distract you with something else." (He then removes her from the room)
Bro-in-law: "So, what ways have you tried to discipline Hadley?"
Me: "...uh..."

I got the hint.

Mean Mommy Trick

2011-03-25T12:38:00.005-06:00

We don't have a gate for our stairs at our house. And I'm too cheap to buy one. I'm not worried at all about Hadley falling down the stairs. She maneuvers them quite well. Better than me, actually. But, it is such a pain chasing her up and down all day. So here is when the "mean mom" comes out. It's a great trick, and if you need to use it, feel free.

Find something that terrifies your child. In this case, the vacuum.
There have been times that I need to jolt her memory and turn it on, but today wasn't the case.

Finally, place object in front of stairs.
Works like a charm. (I'm going to hell)

California Trip

2011-03-17T13:41:00.003-06:00

After this - no more updating. I swear. But this was such memorable moment I had to share. My parents took me and my siblings and our better halves to California for Christmas. It was AMAZING! It went by way too quick, and I'm dying to go back. THANKS MOM AND DAD! YOU'RE THE BEST!!

November 27, 2010

2010-12-16T16:45:00.007-07:00

YEAR ONE! We made it! We had such a fun little party with Hadley's family. We are so grateful for all those who came to visit Hadley on her very special day.
I didn't think much about doing a theme, until I heard that one nephew was doing monkeys, and the other was doing owls ("Hoo"'s turning one? get it? cute huh), so I figured I can't do a boring party. And besides, it made things fun for me and my creative side. I decided to do "ladybugs." But then I discussed it with my mother-in-law, and I was telling her how I wanted to girl-it-up just a little more, so she helped me decide to have pink and brown ladybugs. It turned out too cute.

I mailed off little ladybug invites. To see the invite, you spread out the wings. Something like what a real lady bug would do. I didn't take any pictures of the invite. And I would do it now, but I don't want to... (too lazy to run upstairs)

I made cute little Bug Cupcakes for everyone to enjoy...
And I made Hadley her very own Ladybug cake...
She was so funny to watch eat the cake. I honestly expected her to dive head first into the cake, but she was being quite the lady. (Which I guess was appropriate for the theme) I kid you not, she was so dainty. She sat there and just picked at the cake. Stopped, gave the crowd a smile, and then picked a little more. No diving at all. So I helped her out a little, and eventually, she did get messy.
We love Hadley so much. We are so proud to have her as our not so baby girl. We are so spoiled to have such a little lady. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HADLEY!!

Picture Update 2010.

2010-12-09T14:01:00.001-07:00

Update Blog.... CHECK!

2010-11-10T23:05:00.002-07:00

HEY! Seriously, my life has consisted of mental check lists. And while I have been meaning to let you know our current conditions, other things have become more of an obligation. I should feel guilty, but I really don't think I am. Because if I really did, this would have been taken care of a long time ago. BUT, I did find the check list in the head, and realized that I didn't do the blog thing.. and figured, the time has come.

So, MOM and DAD! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for the use of your basement. I am eternally grateful that you allowed to come crash with you two and disturb your peaceful, quiet house. We are out of it now, and are currently renting a house until John graduates in MAY! YOO-HOO!

Hadley is awesome. Her TWO FRONT TEETH are almost cut. We've had long sleepless nights because of those buggers, and they are almost here! She already has her two bottom teeth in, but those were a way more pleasant experience. Hadley is almost 1 year old!!! She is growing so fast. And if I do get to it (you know how I am now-a-days with blogging), I'll post some pictures of how big she is! She isn't walking yet, but has nearly mastered furniture walking. She's getting more daring, so you never know when the day comes she'll be running free!

I'm still at work. If you want your hair done, PLEASE come! I work Mon - Wed. And, yes I'm good at it if I say so myself. The holidays are here, so now is the perfect time to get dolled up. Yes, that goes for the guys too!

I love you all! Thanks for being patient. We're still in the moving process, but things are just about back to normal. Peace out!

Next Step

2010-08-19T16:44:00.002-06:00

Hey world. I am realizing I'm not nearly the dedicated blogger I would like to be. I can't promise I will get better, But I sure will try.

This is just a quick little note just to let you know the next few steps in our lives. And how LAME we really are. But it is okay, because it is the next few steps to make it to a bigger step. Let me explain....

As most of you know, we are currently taking care of a couple's house while they are on their mission. Well, the 18 months are up, and our couple are coming home and we need to be out by September 15. And, we are moving to ... *sigh*... my parent's basement. (my cheeks are officially pink)

Eek! I know, I know. I feel so blessed that my parents are willing to take us for a bit. (but I'm pretty sure it's because of Hadley they are so willing to) And it's only temporary. We are currently in a rut where we are seeing if our next little home will be available or not. If it is, we will be moving again the first part of November. If not, we will be looking for our next place to live. Our name is on a few waiting lists of new possible homes, but we will still have to wait a bit. But again, I feel so blessed and grateful for my parents and their willingness to take on my little family, and, again, EXTREMELY grateful to have Hadley so this would be possible. (just kidding, mom... but seriously... thanks, Had-e).

John starts his FINAL year of school soon. It looks like May he will be DONE! word. I think I'm more excited for this next step then John is. :)

I will post pictures hopefully sooner then later of our summer adventures, Hadley is getting so big, and i dare say - BEAUTIFUL! I need to show her off. Much love, world.

June 1, 2010

2010-06-01T11:30:00.008-06:00

It's June. And because it's a summer month, I woke up today expecting something like...

Instead, I woke up to something like...
And it made me feel something like...
Don't get me wrong. Usually I love the rain, because it make me fantasize about something like...

But we've had so much rain here, that I'm ready for something like...
So, to make me feel something like...
I purchased myself something like...
...With fries and a large drink. So now I feel something like...
So now to feel normal, later today I have to do something like...

Extra hard! All because the month of June stared out something like...
And how has your day been?

The Next American Idol

2010-05-27T17:04:00.002-06:00

So Hungry

2010-04-28T13:30:00.008-06:00

Hadley Loves to eat. Especially now that her food has flavor to it. We started her on rice cereal about a month ago. She caught on the concept of eating with a spoon really quick and really well. We tried that out for about 2 weeks and decided it was time to mix things up! (I had the cutest video of her eating one of the first times that I wanted to post. Apparently videos have to be 100 MG in order to download on here. Mine was 400 MG. Lame. So if anybody knows how to fix that... let me know)

We were given wonderful advice to start with veggies. It made perfect sense. So we started with GREEN BEANS! NOT GOOD! Poor Hadley. She tried to like them, but she just gagged them back up. I honestly really couldn't blame her. I decided to go with something a little more enjoyable, and we tried CARROTS! It was night and day. Hadley LOVES carrots. (as you can see in the picture above.) We tried that for about a week and decided to change it up. My nephew, Jack, loved orange foods and that was all that he would eat for awhile, and his skin began to have an orange tint. This made me think that Hadley was headed for the same direction. Even if I had an oompa loompa for a baby, I knew I would still love her, but I was hoping this couldn't be the case. So I opted to try out PEAS. At first she seemed a little confused by the change, but she doesn't seem to mind. She really likes the peas. Which makes me happy that she likes a little bit of variety. We just recently have made that change, so we'll give that a go for awhile, before we switch it up on her again.

Hadley is 5 months now and is growing like a weed! Well, in my horticulture class, I learned the definition of weed is a plant that you don't want... I want Hadley. So she is growing like a...fast growing flower... wow. Anyway - She is such a delight. She loves to roll on to her belly, and I'm just waiting for the day when she gets up on her knees. (hopefully later than sooner, I'm fine with her not being mobile). She is now really interacting with her toys. It's so fun to watch her figure out how things work. And she enjoys the toys now, instead of just looking at them and trying to figure out why mom was trying to make her hold these colorful objects. She is giggling more and more, and will always give you a grin or a smile. Even through her tears.

I don't know about you, but I like her.

4 Month Update

2010-04-02T22:12:00.004-06:00

Little Miss Hadley is 4 months now! We went to the doctor's find out the little details of our little princess.Weight: 12 lbs. 14 oz. (36 percentile)
Length: 25 inches (80 percentile)
Head Circumference: 15.7 inches (20 percentile)

We love her little head. But it does carry BIG BLUE eyes and an enormous smile (accented with dimples). She is tall and skinny like her dad, and is the spitting image of her mom. Hadley is a wonderful baby. I feel so spoiled. She is very pleasant and hardly ever fusses - unless you are getting in the way of feeding time - watch out! She has an amazing set of pipes! She does sleep through the night. If she does wake up, usually it's just for a quick little feed, and she goes right back to sleep. She loves to be center of attention. (Shocking, I know - look at her parents) She loves to talk and has the cutest little giggle. She is also rolling over. Most babies her age are rolling from their tummy to back, but she decided to be unique and roll from back to tummy. We are practicing doing it the other way - and she doesn't appreciate it. If only she can figure out that she just needs to move that arm of hers... She'll figure it out. She's tough. She also has an amazing wardrobe, thanks to everyone who has donated. We love our "Little Mad Hadder". We can't even remember what life was like without her!

Howard the Duck

2010-04-02T16:38:00.004-06:00

We don't have cable. Lame. I know. But, why pay for something for a place we will be leaving in the near future. Not to mention we couldn't find anything that was less than 2 years. meaning we would have to pay an additional cancellation fee. (We actually thought ahead).

Because of this, we are proud members of Netflix. We log on through XBox Live. There you can instantly watch random movies or TV shows. I was flipping through my options when I found this...

I was excited. I remember loving this show when I was little! I couldn't remember the plot so I decided to watch it....

What a waste. My opinions in movies sucked as a child.

Hadley's Blessing

2010-04-02T16:02:00.003-06:00

We had Hadley's baby blessing on March 7

John did a wonderful job. I am
so grateful that I have an amazing husband who holds the priesthood. He is my sexy man of God!

We were so lucky to have friends and family there. It was fun to have Hadley's both set of grandparents there!

Hadley was so beautiful all dressed in white! We are proud parents! We love her so much.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-19T12:11:00.002-07:00

I'm rather sad... and jealous. I'm reading all these blogs on how people received flowers for Valentine's. I didn't get any flowers.... NONE.

:(

I guess this will just have to do...

Grandmas and Grandpas

2010-01-25T20:17:00.003-07:00

First of all, Hadley got to meet her cousin Miles. Miles was born 19 days before Hadley. And yes, that is how we caught Hadley on film. I guess she really isn't our daughter unless she pulls faces at a camera!

This is Hadley and her cousin Brody with Grandma and Grandpa Fraidenburg. Brody is 2 months older than Hadley.

This picture is adorable of Hadley and her Grandma Mary.

This is a picture of Hadley and Grandpa Poulsen. This is what my dad would do with us when we were little. Rock us both to sleep. It's cute to see that he does it with his grand kids now.

It's not too often that we get to enjoy a few 4 generation pictures...

John (dad) Dave (grandpa) Pam (great-grandma) and Hadley

Kristy (grandma) Virginia (great-grandma) Tina (mom) and Hadley.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-19T17:19:00.006-07:00

Life is hectic with a newborn! But it has been worth every minute of it! Sorry for being such a slacker. So here is the start of my update. Christmas 2009....

This is what Hadley wore Christmas Eve. It's funny because it's true.

We went to my parents Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. It was a little weird this year at my parents. Both my brothers and their families live in Boston. And my sister and her husband spent it at her in-laws. So that left me and John and Hadley. We still had fun. You get a little more attention when the others are out of the way. (just kidding! no, but seriously....)

Ugh! Hadley looks how I felt. G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S
Hadley got a little lamb. I think I'm going to change the lyrics to the classic nursery rhyme.

Just what John always wanted. Thanks Jared and Susan!

After having a great time at my parents, we traveled down to Murray to see John's family.

Hadley and her cousins on the Fraidenburg side officially got to meet! This isn't all either. 2 more are on their way!

This is the Fraidenburg clan. They don't all get to be in the same room very often where we are spread all over Utah and Melissa's family is in California. (I just realized that the siblings happen to be in order by their age, only they are going from youngest to oldest (left to right).)

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T11:58:00.007-07:00

The Labor Story.

2009-12-07T15:50:00.005-07:00

Black Friday. I hate this day. Always have and probably always will. Huge crowds drive me nuts! It is totally worth it to me to pay full price vs. fighting a tug of war with 'ol grandma Pearl on who saw that stupid sweater first! I really think Black Friday is a poor lame excuse for people to act like total...donkeys... and get away with it! *sigh*

And then this year happened...

We were in Murray, visiting John's family for Thanksgiving. I LOVE TURKEY DAY! Yams are my favorite and mom-in-law did a superb job fixing them! mmmm... And it was so nice to be with family. As the day went on, I was getting more and more achy. I figured it was because I ate so much yams! (didn't hit my brain that it could have been the fact that I was 9 months pregnant).

When the day drew nearer to an end, John asked if we could stay one more night. I had to make it to work the next morning by 9. I hesitated a little. I have a hard time getting up early in the morning, and I honestly was trying to decide on what to do about the traffic... you know... since, it was Black Friday and all. And I didn't know how traffic would be like on this stupid day in Salt Lake. OH! And then I remembered that I was 9 months pregnant and shouldn't be so far away from Logan. But, after all, I was 2 weeks away from my due date, and we were already down there, and I wanted more yams.... so Yes. Okay John. We will stay one more night.

When we finally went to bed. The last words John said to me were, "Now, don't let your water break for at least 6 more hours." He thinks he is so funny. My eyes sank and I quickly fell asleep.

Just as Edward and Bella were about to kiss (why I was dreaming this, only the sweet Lord knows why) My eyes flew open! Panic! I just wet the bed! ...wait... I quickly got up. Ran to the bathroom to check things out. I soon realized that I didn't wet the bed... or did I? Things are so confusing at 2 in the morning. I cleaned up. changed my clothes, and decided to go back to bed. I layed down, and let my thoughts run wild in my head. Did my water break? Or did I wet the.... Okay... I know for a fact that I am NOT wetting the bed right now. Again, I got up, cleaned what I could and decided to wake up the husband. I softly woke my love up, and explained to him that my water broke. He shot up and said, "You have got to be kidding me!" (but let's be honest, he didn't say "kidding"). "That. Or I just uncontrollably wet the bed," I explained. "Are you having any contractions?" "None."

Logan is about an hour and a half away from where we were. We weren't sure if we would make it or not. John decided to call the Logan hospital to see what we should do. They told us to go check in the nearest hospital (which was the new hospital, Intermountain Healthcare) to make sure everything is okay. Then they can tell us whether to stay, or if we can go. We stole John's dad's car (since the windows weren't frosted) and drove to the hospital. We told the nice lady at the desk our story and she along with the other nurses just grinned at our story. (You could tell they were trying not to laugh) I began to fill paper work out when I notice the sharp pain in my side. That was uncomfortable. They put me in room #4 and they began to examine. Everything was great. Baby great. Tina great. That contraction I think I just felt, not so great. I was only dilated to a 2. No biggie. I can make it back to Logan. No problem. That's when I started noticing my contractions. WOW! The Pain! Those are not fun. And they were coming every two minutes. The nurse left to tell the doctor what was going on. The doctor was the one to give me the yes or no. John and I talked it out. It didn't take long for our decision.

The doctor walked in. She was so nice! She explained what my labor was doing... and then she said, "So you want to deliver in Logan." I then said, "I did. But, I'm fine staying here. Can I please get the epidural!" She just laughed and said, "Good, cause i was just going to say you're not going anywhere." We all giggled and I said, "no seriously, I want the epidural." And I got it! Wow. Talk about a slice of heaven.

We then pretty much hung out for the next while. I then noticed some sharp pains in my side and asked the nurse for a little boost me up for the pain. She decided to check to see how far along I was. Needless to say, I went from a 3 to a 10 in 2 hours! The doctor gave us the okay to start pushing. Pushing only took about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. My favorite part was my support team. Especially my dear sweet husband! He was the best of them all. Even the time when he stopped counting because he was distracted by what was going down south. I think I pushed a little longer that round. I still love him anyway. 8 Hours of labor and then....
Our baby girl was here! She was finally here. Our little Hadley. And we are noticing how our lives have just stopped so we can take care of this precious gift from our Heavenly Father. And we are great with that! I am so glad that we are an eternal family. We love her so so so much.

I've decided that Black Fridays aren't so bad after all.

Introducing...

2009-12-02T18:41:00.005-07:00

Hadley Nicole
November 27, 2009
10:06 AM
6 pounds 7 ounces 20 inches

Halloween and Current Bumps

2009-11-12T19:59:00.002-07:00

Here are some pictures from Halloween Day...

We dressed up for work. This year, ALL of us. (I meant that directed towards me. I must confess that I typically don't dress up) And I must say, we all look rather festive. I really think the award goes out to the Bumblebee. Shayna - you did an awesome job on your costume!

John and I had a party to go to. When I came home from work, I was bummed to find out that John wasn't quite ready for Halloween. I gave him some options of what he should do, and so he figured he would copy me, and he could be a tourist. His nose is my favorite.

Also - these pictures show off my current baby bump. Still, on the small side, I know. But I feel rather pregnant. I have 4 weeks to go! And I am so stinking excited, I can hardly wait! John is super excited too. We'll keep ya posted. But, I'm not going to lie - I may slack off. But, I will for sure let you know when Baby Girl is here.

Bug of the Day

2009-10-17T22:17:00.003-06:00

The other day, John was complaining about all the Box Elder Bugs making their way out to the open. I told him to get over it.

I love the fall. It is by far my favorite season. But, like all seasons, there is always some down fall to it. Such as - bugs making their way into your house. In Cache Valley, without fail, Box Elder Bugs seem to be the ones that everyone notices. They really have never bugged me. True, they tend to cover outdoor walls; True, you'd find one or two taking a shower with you; True, they are everywhere; but, honestly, I never was bothered by these specific insects.

Until today, now, and forever...

This weekend, John had to go to an overnight drill for the National Guard. I usually end up at my parent's house these typical weekends. Why? Because I can. Anyway - My dad said that there were a ton of Box Elder Bugs guarding the stake center doors. Like I have said in older posts, he decided to take matters into his own hands and fix the problem. So I went with my parents to watch Dad suffocate the crawlies. I figured it would be awesome entertainment. As he was finishing up, I reflected back to John's complaints about our own little invasion of these bugs. I asked Dad if he wanted to spray just a little around our front door to please John a little.

We drove over to my house and pulled into the drive. I looked a little closer than usual today at the outside walls of my house. "Huh," I thought to myself. "I don't remember so many Box Elder Bugs... oh well, carry on." Dad did what I asked him, just around the front door. And then, a little around a window... and then another window... probably more around the door... might as well get the two fornicating on the steps... (He sprayed more than necessary on those two).

In the mean time, he was telling me how he wished he had keys to the stake center so he could get any that were leaking inside. So I asked if he should just spray around the door on the inside part of my house. He said that it wouldn't hurt. I unlocked the door, turned the knob, walked inside, turned to face the door, looked down, and screamed inside my throat.

I'm not kidding nor exagerating. It felt like I was in an Indiana Jones movie. The Box Elder Bugs were flooding my front door area. I have NEVER seen anything like it from Box Elder Bugs. EVERYWHERE! IN MY HOUSE!!! INSIDE! Ugh - not fun. So Dad killed them. He enjoyed it. I think he even found more fornicating ones. My mom was with us, and she was kind enough to sweep them up for me (Although my baby bump is small, it is in the way of bending over).

They are mostly gone now, I find one here, two there, 5 there... but not nearly as bad as it was. AGAIN - Dad was the hero of the day. I am no longer friends with Box Elder Bugs. They bug me.

So - we had Spiders in the spring, Wasps in the summer, Box Elder Bugs in the fall... if I find mice in my house in the winter, I am going to freakin' lose it!

My Back Hurts...

2009-10-04T21:11:00.001-06:00

...that's all I wanted to say.

My Growing Belly

2009-09-29T21:24:00.004-06:00

I really haven't been keeping up with showing off my baby bump, simply because... I really haven't had one. I feel way fortunate, but I'm kind of excited now that people are acknowledging that I look pregnant versus giving me stares that say "are you....?" (Note: those stares are directed towards my gut) And then, now that I look pregnant people dare say "are you...?" and then I say, "Yes. I'm about 7 months along..." and then I get gasps of disbelief... anyway - The point of this is not to brag. Just to say that although I'm not showing (my mom was the same way) as much, I do in fact feel pregnant.

But you've asked to see, so this is what I have...

23 weeks (5 to 6 month-ish)

28 weeks (6 to 7 month-ish)

30 weeks - me today!

Pregnancy

2009-09-29T20:34:00.004-06:00

The first tri: SICK! I did fine until week 9 to week 17ish. I hated the sight of food (unless it was watermelon). And the worst smell was and still is the garage. Crazy I know. I was sick every single morning, but did pretty well the rest of the day. Everyone informed me that by week 13 or 14 I would feel like a completely different person. Well, I did. :) For the worst. I could not keep anything down! And I felt so bad, because one of the worst days was on my baby sister's wedding day. I had to keep taking breaks from styling her up-do to go throw up. And then I didn't get the chance to pay attention to her ceremony because I was giving myself pep talks to not throw up in the middle of the great ordinance that was taking place. (No fear - I made it) But, you know. In a weird way, I was so grateful at the time for being sick. It was a friendly reminder that everything was okay, and that although I didn't feel up to par, my baby was doing great.

The second tri: MUCH BETTER! I loved it. I felt so good, and John informed me on how I finally had that pregnancy glow. (I was rather mean) My bump became somewhat noticeable, and I began to feel our baby - our baby girl - move! That is my all time favorite feeling in the world now. And the best part, was when John could begin to feel her move. If you want a tender moment, that was it.

The third tri: CURRENTLY FINDING OUT! I've been in this category for 2 weeks now. So far, not complaining. My back does give out. But, it probably doesn't help that I stand on my feet at work. Oh well. Water from the hot shower pounding on my back always helps. Pink is now our favorite color. John plays with our little girl as much as he can. Their favorite game is John will shake my belly, and then she will kick back and wait for a response. And then he shakes again, and then she will take her turn. And she only does that with John. I love it. I think John loves it more!

The "fourth" tri: FUTURE PLANS! My plans are to work up to the day of birth. Crazy I know. But we really need the income. When the chica comes, I will take at least a month's worth of maternity leave. When that time is up, I will continue to do hair. But, only 3 times a week. I'm looking forward to being a mom and I want to be with her as much as possible. And I am SO EXCITED to see the bond between John and his baby girl. 10 more weeks! She's almost here!

Rewind

2009-09-29T20:01:00.005-06:00

Okay, I'm quite the slacker! I know. But, we've had a few computer problems, and with a mixture of laziness, I haven't been able to keep up with the blog. But, I'm repenting, and now quickly filling you in some events....

Well, only one. August 8, 2009. John turns 25. And he has some what freaked out a little because he is now a quarter of a century. We made plans with his family and decided to spend the weekend at Bear Lake. Our plans consisted of typical camping activities, and boating at the lake. But, Mother Nature decided to put a twist on things, and the morning of John's glorious day, we woke up to freezing cold weather. Mind you, it's August. And the news said that day was a new record low high of 62 degrees. COLD! Luckily, we did pack some hoodies. And very luckily, our brother-in-law, Luke, had some connections for us to change boating into 4-wheeling. We had a ball. Here are pics to document the event...

Our adorable niece helping John open presents.

The Hottie McNaughty.

Luke and John. John thought he was a cowboy this weekend. Some mid-life crisis thing.

Picture too cute to leave out. Grace loves taking self-portraits.

John blowing out his birthday... match.

Proof of everyone there.

Tickle Me Pink

2009-07-25T22:39:00.000-06:00

My John

2009-07-22T22:29:00.002-06:00

I am so blessed for my adorable hubby, John.
For those of you who don't know, John has been gone for the last month in Washington (state) to do his LDAC training. (I didn't share this info sooner because I didn't feel too comfortable with the idea of informing the world through the internet that I was home alone for a month. not a good idea) LDAC is training for those who are in the ROTC and plan to become a Lieutenant in the military. Pretty much what he did was did crazy wilderness training (he even was interrogated in the gas chamber with no mask) and they annalyzed his ability as an officer. If you want to know more, visit www.warriorforge.wordpress.com

I finally got to pick him up from the airport last wednesday. This last week has been so wonderful to have him back. It's made me realize how much I take John for granted and that I should really appreciate all the things he does for me! I love him so much and I am so greatful to have the love of my life home with me again.

*side note* Although a month seemed forever, I am so grateful it was ONLY a month. There are so many wives that I know that are (or have) waiting for their husbands to come home after long trainings or tours they've been on. Having John in the military really has opened up my eyes (and patriotic side) and has made me MORE grateful in the country that I live in and for those who have and are fighting for our freedom!

To the Rescue

2009-07-05T16:18:00.004-06:00

The spider thing has gotten way out of hand! At least for me. For last few months, I've just been telling myself that there aren't any spider issues. I hate it so bad that I have to go to this totally different state of mind. Stupid I know. Due to my last post, my cute mom has been a little concerned for me. (She raised me, she knows how I feel about spiders) Hence, she told my father. And if you know Papa Poulsen, he gets the job done!!

(yes, I look just like my papa! :) )

He went out of his way, risking his life, came to my house, and sprayed the hair beasty things! And it was greatly needed because he informed there were 6 spiders in my tub downstairs, with the drain closed!! That's just not normal! Thank you for saving my life, Dad! You truly are the best! LOVE YOU! I think I will be able to sleep a little better at night now.

Arachnophobia

2009-06-30T23:20:00.006-06:00

arach·no·pho·bia
Pronunciation: a-"rak-na-'fO-bE-a
Function: noun
: pathological fear or loathing of spiders

So, I love our place. I love the space. I love the area. It's wonderful...but...the spiders! Oh, kill me - kill me now! They are EVERYWHERE! I hate them so bad. I was going to take a picture to show that they really do exist at my place, and couldn't bring myself to do that. And so I was trying to find a picture from the internet, and that was near impossible. So I google searched cartoon spiders, and realized I can handle that. Anyway - I hate spiders, and I have them all over my house. Outside, Inside, you name it, they are there. And they are big, BIG ones!

Just to prove the fact of how bad it is: My mother-in-law stayed with us for a weekend. After I told her goodnight, I heard a knock on my door not long after. She was asking me if we had any bug spray. John took it with him to drill that weekend, so I took Windex (because I learned from the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, that it cures anything. And we know TV never lies) and went down to see what she was talking about. Sure enough, 3 HUGE SPIDERS hanging out in the tub. And they were the ones that crawled fast too. Then I remembered how when my sis-in-law stayed with us, and she said she found 7 HUGE SPIDERS in the tub! So my mom-in-law suggested that we shut the drain. We did so, and I think that helped. When I get brave (which was only once), I'll go down and check and there were no spiders in the tub. I asked John a couple of times to look for me - and he said he only found one lonely spider once. I try to block these experiences from my memory, so I did so. Until I woke up one morning with one crawling on my arm! (I literally am getting chills right now writing this post).

I talked to my brother, Wade, because he once was a super hero and called himself the "Orkin Man". (no, seriously, he sprayed bugs one summer in Tennessee) And he told me to spray the outside of my house, along with the inside. Well - I'm pregnant, so I don't much like the thought of inhaling that spray. So, he told me the sticky spider traps work really well too. Well, I don't like the thought of having to find them when it's time to replace them. And then he reminded me that I am married to someone that is in the Army National Guard, and can help get rid of them for me. So - therefore, I love my dear, army-strong, man of a husband. And my brother for all his advise.

That is all. There is no point to this blog entry, other than the fact that I am now realizing how bad I hate spiders and that I think I can safely say that I loath them. All of them. Thank you for listening.

Gal Pal Purses

2009-06-20T20:31:00.003-06:00

I am having a Gal Pal Purse Party...

Wednesday, June 24.
6-8pm (open house)

These purses are handmade by my friend's mom, Kathy Fortie. She does an amazong job, and has super cute product. You can check it all out at http://www.galpalpurse.com/

If anybody would like to join the festivities, please come! You are invited! E-mail me at tina_marie26@hotmail.com, (or leave a comment with your e-mail) and I will let you know the house address for the party! ...They are worth it. I love my bags from her. LOVE THEM!

Wedding Weekend...and more

2009-06-06T18:52:00.004-06:00

This weekend has been on my agenda for the last 6 months or so. I've been calling it "The Wedding Weekend".

It started on Thursday, June 4. John's best friend, Josh and his cute new wife Melissa, were hitched on this day at the Salt Lake Temple. It was gorgeous! I soon realized that I didn't have my camera with me, so I didn't get the chance to take a picture of them! Oh well - We are still way excited for them and wish the best. We didn't make it their reception because we had to return that night to begin the event of....

My baby sister's wedding!

On Friday, June 5th, Niki and her sweetheart, Josh, were married in the Logan Temple. It is so fun to see how much Niki has grown in the past year or so. My brothers and I were talking amongst each other, and were having a hard time believing Niki was even old enough to be married. I don't know why - I'm only 3 years older than her. But, I still see the cute, little, chubby cheeked, blonde, (with over sized glasses - he he) being my shadow! I hated it then, but I think I miss it now. I love her so much! She and Josh will have a happy eternity and I am so excited for them! LOVE YOU! (and her wedding was beautiful as well)

Then Saturday, June 6th, I decided it's time share with the world what's on our agenda in 6 months or so....

December 8, 2009 - and I can't wait!

Our DC Trip

2009-05-27T19:14:00.002-06:00

John and I had the opportunity to go back east to see some of the civil war sites and Washington DC as well. Naturally, we decided to go.

For those of you who don't know, John is in the ROTC. They had a history class that you can get school credit for, and if family member wanted to go, they could (for only $550). We stayed in the army barracks, so I didn't get to stay with John. "Boys on the top floor, Girls on the main." I didn't mind too much, but I knew some of ladies didn't like the thought of not being able to stay with there hubbies. I figured at least it was somewhere to stay - for cheap!! They also provide breakfast and lunch. Dinner was up to us. As you can see - it was a steal of a deal.

It was way fun to go on this trip with the ROTC. Not only did we get a history lesson of Gettysburg and Antietam, they showed the different strategies the army took during the Civil War. I thought it kind of a cool perspective!

I organized the days of our trip in separate posts. Go ahead and scroll down to check out what... we... checked out... :)

Day 1 and 2 - Gettysburg

2009-05-27T18:41:00.005-06:00

I was so excited to come here. I kind of was a history nerd, and ate up the lesson on the civil war. It was amazing to come here. Gettysburg is absolutely beautiful. It is so hard to believe that these grounds were covered in blood, and so many died here.John looking at the Gettysburg.

Monument of Gen. Reynolds (they had monuments like this everywhere) Just a little tid-bit: If horse on the monument has one leg up, that means the officer on the horse was wounded in that battle in that general spot. If the horse is on two legs, it means that officer was killed in that general spot. As you can see, Gen. Reynolds didn't make it too far into the battle.

This monument was made for the 75th anniversary of the civil war. The remaining soldiers (both confederate and union), who were in their 90's and even 100's, came for the celebration. This monument means we are now one.

Another view of Gettysburg

This specific place was called Devil's Den. Many, many men died here. And there was lots and lots of blood here. So, they told us to have our lunch here. (I don't know how respectful that was now that I think of it, but it was a nice little picnic area). The orange we were holding fell...

...off this rock. (we were sitting on top of it). I still ate it. The orange was just easier to peel. Good Times.

This was on a hill they called Little Round Top. In this specific spot, the union beat the confederates... with no ammo. Of course the confederates didn't know that. Again, it was so neat to be here.

Gettysburg

Gettysburg Cemetery. Rows of unknown soldiers.

This monument is in the Gettysburg Cemetery. It marks the spot where Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address: "Four scores and Seven Years ago.." This monument was later built after the speech was delivered.

Day 3 - Antietam

2009-05-27T18:23:00.003-06:00

Antietam was the bloodiest single day battle of the Civil War. It was so moving to be there. I forgot to pull my camera out for the first part of the day. oops. I guess I have to go again.Burnside's Bridge. The Confederates fought off the Union to buy time here. There motivation was whiskey... I don't blame them.

Soldier monument at Antietam Cemetery

Rows and Rows and Rows of headstones in the Antietam Cemetery. Most of the graves here were from the Battle of Antietam. About 23,000 casualties : 3,654 died, 17,292 wounded, and the rest captured or missing!

Day 4 - Washington DC

2009-05-27T17:56:00.006-06:00

This is the first day we were in DC. We went to as many of the sights as possible. The best part of DC is that all the Smithsonian Museums are FREE! It is totally worth going. I defiantly recommend going. We also went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum. You weren't allowed to take pictures there, which is for the best. I posted some of our pictures from the day. Not all. I didn't want to to bore you with ALL of them. Changing of the Guard

The Grave of the Unknown Soldier

Rows at Arlington Cemetery.

Washington Monument (notice how the monument changes color half way? They didn't have enough of the first stone to finish the monument, so they had to switch. How embarrassing!)

The Air and Space Museum

Where the archives are held.

The Constitution

The group we spent most of our time with. They were so much fun. I am so glad I got to know them all. We made great friends from this trip!

Day 5 - Washington DC (continued)

2009-05-27T17:28:00.005-06:00

Here is our last day to play. We only spent two days in DC. We definatly needed at least 3. But, It was so much fun! If you get the chance, GO!

The Lincoln Memorial (HE'S HUGE)

Trying to break into the backyard of the White House. I'm sure they saw John climbing up the gate and had their guns pointed at his head, knee, and belly button in case he did jump the fence.

The Marine Corps Memorial (ALSO HUGE) These men from WWII, where lined up with their canes and wheelchairs. It was so cool to see.

The actual Ruby Slippers!Jerry Seinfeld's Pirate shirt! And Oscar the Grouch.Us infront of the Washington DC LDS Temple! I am so glad we went at night. It was so beautiful! When you are driving on the freeway to get to the temple, it shows up out of no where. They said they had to dim the lights, because people would get in wrecks from being in awe of the temple. I still think it makes your jaw drop!

The Tour

2009-04-08T19:55:00.006-06:00

For those of you who didn't know, John and I have the opportunity to take care of a couple's house while they are on their LDS mission. We will be here for the next 18 months (hopefully they get an extension). We are paying rent to help pay for their mission, but it's the same rent we payed for our two bedroom apartment. Also, we don't have to pay any utilities, except for internet and TV. (so we have no cable for a bit).

We have agreed to let them keep their furniture in their house. That is fine with us, because... well... we really didn't have much. So, no, I don't have old lady taste! (and they packed away personal stuff, such as dishes, clothes, etc. They only left out their furniture and some wall hangings. I get to use my own stuff, which is ideal) But the place still looks great! We love it here.

Here is a tour of our new place. Please excuse any clutter. We DID just move in. And also - Do I have a lisp? It sounds like I do. Let that amuse you as well!

Have No Fear

2009-04-07T21:52:00.004-06:00

We are still alive! With all the moving, losing internet, getting the internet, etc... going on, I have slacked on keeping up the blog! And yet, I'm not going to this time. But, here is a sneak peek of what's to come...

John and I lived in a small 2 bedroom apartment surrounded by cold, white, boring, lifeless, cinder block walls! I felt like I lived in a church house classroom for the last 2 and half years! If anybody used to live or still lives in the Aggie Village Apartments, they'd understand how excited we are for these....

Normal Walls!!!

Stay tuned for more to come!

Tagged

2009-03-05T17:32:00.003-07:00

Yoo - Hoo! More pointless information on the Fraidenburgs. So fun!

8 things:

8 T.V. Shows we watch:
1. The Office
2. Lie to Me
3. American Idol
4. Jon and Kate + 8
5. Friends
6. What Not to Wear (please don't look at what I wear)
7. King of Queens
8. Secret Life of the American Teenager

8 Things that happened yesterday

1. Went to work and school

2. Did 11 haircuts while I was at work

3. John passed a test

4. Looked at the pile of dishes, that's it

5. Went to Mom and Dad's

6. Visited with Mom, Dad, Jared, and Susan - while watching Jackson make faces while he ate

7. Played with my DS

8. Finally went to sleep at about 2 AM. ugh.

8 Places we love to eat:

1. Cafe Rio
2. Firehouse Pizzeria
3. El Sol
4. Village Inn
5. Jason's Deli
6. Olive Garden
7. Braza Grill
8. Iggy's

8 People I tag:

1. Josh and Heather
2. Tyler and Amanda
3. Cameron and Karen
4. Wade and Kali
5. Jared and Susan
6. Andy and Melissa
7. Walter and Traci
8. Lukas and Marie

Progress

2009-02-23T20:07:00.005-07:00

I feel much, much better. It's the time of the year where everyone gets sick, and I was one of those "fortunate" souls. Thank You for all the concern. I'm golden. And so is John. I got him sick. But he actually got better before me. So don't feel bad for him. But, we are good to go.

Oh! And my birthday is on Thursday, Feb. 26. Just so you know... I like Gerber daisies and balloons.

...and money.

Still Sick

2009-02-18T22:35:00.001-07:00

I'm sick. Common cold turned to sinus infection. 7 days and counting. UGH.

They Called Us On a Mission...

2009-02-10T20:35:00.003-07:00

...well, not us. But, we are very fortunate to know a couple that are! Because we charmed (I don't know how, but we did) this couple, they want us to take care of their house (in Smithfield) while they serve in Samoa for a year and a half. So in a way - this will be quite the "mission" for us. Oh, what did I get myself into. :) Just kidding. We do feel very blessed and fortunate for the opportunity to house sit, and are thrilled!! We will be moving possibly the first of April or even a week or two before that. We are sad to leave our ward. We have made wonderful friends while we have been here. But, it was a no brainer to us when we were asked to take on this task. word!

That Just Happened!

2009-01-27T18:13:00.004-07:00

I love my job. But, just like every other job, it has it moments. Like, yesterday...

I have a client that is in her 70's. And like most 70 year old women, she has to get her monthly perm. No problem. Perms aren't my favorite, but you do anything for a little extra money.

As I am rolling the perm in my clien'ts hair, she out of no where says, "You will have to excuse me for my social skills today..." I suddenly assumed she was going to tell me she was tired and she wasn't going to be very talkative. But my thoughts were interrupted abruptly when she said,"I'm feeling gassy."

I panicked. I must have heard wrong. Who admits that? (Right, a 70 year old woman) She continued,"I apologize for any smells that I may have. I can't really tell how bad it is. I think I may have lost my sense of smell. Carl [her boyfriend - that's a whole other story that's just as gaggy] tells me that I am pretty bad."

...yeah. Time goes on, and the heat began to rise. Now, I understand that when you get older, some people just can't help it. That's fine. But, there has to be a better way. And I know when I'm not being dramatic when my client says, "Oh, that must be really bad. I can smell that one."

Although I found out that I can now hold my breath a little longer than I thought, I beg to you all out there. If you feel a little pressure, PLEASE feel free to excuse yourself to the restroom.

And, yes, this really happened.

Christmas Pictures

2009-01-24T22:38:00.004-07:00

I've been meaning to share some pictures from Christmas, but we know how life gets. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at my parents. We then drove to spend the rest of the Christmas weekend with John's family. It was so nice to be with our families for Christmas.

My family lining up youngest to oldest: Jackson, Niki, Me, John, Susan, Jared, and Mom. (Dad is taking picture, and Wade and Kali were in Boston. They were greatly missed.)

John and his siblings Cassandra, Melissa, Marie, and Walter.

Pumpin' feathers... I mean, iron.

John proving he is not only strong, he's army strong.

Introducing....

2009-01-24T21:55:00.005-07:00

I would like you to meet....

...Juan Franburgio!

This is what John can grow in a week. He grew a mustache for the first day of ROTC this semester. Thank the sweet Lord above us that John shaves!

Lights at Temple Square

2008-12-23T17:44:00.007-07:00

John and I went down to Salt Lake to visit his family last week. I soon found out, supposedly, if you're from Salt Lake, you really don't go see the lights at Temple Square. Weird. I know. So, Seth and I made the Fraidenburg siblings go! (he he.) Out of love, they did go for our amusement. The lights were gorgeous. And I did find smiles from the Salt Lake residents. It's always worth going. Here were some of the pictures I took in the bitter cold...

Seth and Cassandra

Marie and Luke

'Tis the Season

2008-12-23T17:37:00.004-07:00

Before...

...After

Grandma ArVella

2008-12-21T14:13:00.002-07:00

(my parents and I with Grandma at Liberty, Id Cemetery)

My grandma, ArVella Watts Poulsen, passed away November 24, 2008, at 88 years old. I miss Grandma, especially right around the holidays, but it really was such a blessing that it was her time to go. I know she is in a better place and is happy with Grandpa. I am so greatful for eternal families and for the fact that I will see her again. Here are some of the things I will remember about Grandma...

Her testimony in the gospel and her unfailing faith.
She really was the best cook in the world.
You never left her house hungry. Even if you were full before, you didn't leave Grandma's without letting her stuff you with something else.
Her laugh and smile.
Her beautiful flowers. She would have me bring hair to her from the salon so she could sprinkle it around her flowers. This way, the deer wouldn't eat them. She swore that it worked... :)
She never ever never never ever complained! Never. Ever.
Her stories.
She always made you feel good. All problems went away when Grandma was around.
She loved her family! All 100 of us. (Grandpa, 5 children, 26 grand children, 67 great grand children, and 1 great great grand child) And that's not counting our spouses. She considered them her own as well (visa-versa). And we ALL loved her.

Cookie Lee Party

2008-12-16T11:56:00.003-07:00

My mom and I are having a Cookie Lee Party. And I am sorry for the late notice, but the party is Tonight, Dec. 16, from 6-8 pm (open house). Anyone who wants to come, are more than welcome to. The party is held at my mom's in Smithfield. If you don't know where that is, feel free to give me a call, or leave a comment, or e-mail me, whatever. Hope to see you there! Oh, this is a great Christmas gift idea!

JOHN

2008-11-19T00:23:00.004-07:00

I thought that since we had our anniversary, it would be an appropriate time to do this "hubby tag" on John. I love him so much, and he does so much for me, that I honestly don't think I give him enough credit. So, this is my chance to blab all about him...

1. Where did you meet? He was referred to me by his roommate to get his hair cut. (not a set up at all) I cut his hair, we made small talk, I took his money and then he left. That was it. A week later, he called me to go on a date with him. I thought he was totally into me, that wasn't true at all. He just barely moved to Logan, and knew no one to go on this double date with him. So he remembered me... I said yes, but really didn't want to go. I didn't know if I should date clients or not. But we went on the date and hit it off.

2. How long did you date before you were married? 3 months before we were engaged, 5 months while we were engaged. So, 8 months.
3. How long have you been married? 2 years (Nov. 17, 2006)
4. What is one thing he does that surprises you? He checks the blog! That, and he does the dishes. I don't know why that surprises me, because he does the dishes a lot. But, every time... Surprise!

5. What is your favorite feature about him? There are so many, But I have to go with his eyes! mmm... And then his smile! And the two combined... wow!

6. What is your favorite quality about him? He always makes me laugh! He is so good at making people laugh. He is a rather funny man.
7. Does he have a nickname for you? "Teens" and/or "Babe"

8. What is his favorite color? I really don't know. So, let's go with clear.

9. What is his favorite food? He loves food. If he can eat, he's good. But his all time fave are his mom's chicken enchiladas.

10. What is his favorite sport? Water Polo

11. Who said "I love you" first? He did. In a gazebo in Draper. So romantic.

12. Where was your first kiss? ha ha... on his bed. That sounds so bad. Just to clear things up - we were in his room, he was on his bed, i was on a chair, I threw a pen at him, I went to get the pen back, he wouldn't give it back, so we ended up tickling each other for it, so in the midst of the confusion... he kissed me. And it was a dang good kiss!

13. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? We enjoy cuddling up to a good flick.

14. Do you have any kids? Not yet

15. What is his hidden talent? Dang! That boy can sing.
16. How old is he? 24

17. What do I admire most about him? Just him, and everything about him. He really makes me feel good about myself, and won't settle for anything less.
18. What is his favorite past time? He is always trying new things. Anywhere from reading a book, to "froggin" with the neighbor. He is full of surprises.

19. What is his favorite kind of music? Anything. He will listen to anything!

20. Do you think he will read this? Yes

I Love You, John!

2 Whole Years

2008-11-18T23:59:00.003-07:00

I can't believe we have been married for 2 years now! Time went by fast. To celebrate, we filled our day with random events. First, we went to the Body World 3 & The Story of the Heart Exhibit. For those of you who don't know, this is where donors have donated their bodies after they have passed away. They take these bodies, and through a process called "plastination", are able to be displayed for the public to understand how the body works. So, basically, we looked at dead bodies on our anniversary. But it is so cool! I recommend going. It is not disgusting at all.

After that, we were able to go see the Jazz play. And we had pretty good seats. Okay - way good seats. It was so much fun. The Jazz played the Suns, and they won. It was so exciting. The Jazz are doing such a great job, I think it's worth going to see them as well! Go Jazz!

Tepanyaki

2008-11-13T22:24:00.003-07:00

(L-R: John, Josh and Heather Jones, Shalese and Cam Ammot, Nate Johnson, Kristen Child)

John and I were invited to go to Tepanyaki with my buds from High School. It was so much fun to see them all again. The food was delicious! It is a Japanese restaurant where they make the food in front of you. It was awesome entertainment. I recommend going. Oh! But the hostest was a ditz. We made reservations at 7:30. She gave our reservations to someone else. So we didn't get in until 8:15 ish. *tsk, tsk* We complained quite a bit. She may have been fired. Doubt it though! Go anyway. It's a fun place!

Trick-or-Treaters

2008-11-02T16:31:00.003-07:00

The best part of Halloween are, of course, the Trick-or-Treaters. Would you believe that we didn't get any at all! I do. Only because we live in an apartment. And they had the trick-or-treaters go to a certain building to go trick-or-treating. BUT, we did get a wonderful suprise. Our friends, Rob and Sarah came to show us off their costumes this year. They dressed up as Hell Boy and Liz Sherman. I think they dressed the part very well! Happy Halloween!

Sarah and Rob
I mean - Liz and Hell Boy

Mystery Dinner

2008-11-02T16:13:00.003-07:00

To start Halloween off, our ward threw a Halloween Party. The theme was Chicago 1920's. We also had a murder mystery dinner. 8 members in our ward were asked to act as suspects on who killed "Hal Capone". I happened to be one of the suspects. My character was "Silky Adams" (the nickname 'silky' came from the silk dresses I wore). I was an owner of a club. In the end, my character was the murderer after all. I killed the guy because one of his hit men killed my husband, so I wanted revenge. Bwah ha ha. It was so fun, and John was a wonderful supporter. (Even though he asked a lot of questions that proved that I was the main suspect.)

"Silky Adams"
The other suspects

Thank You for Your Concern

2008-10-28T16:20:00.002-06:00

I have recently shared a tragic experience I had involving my hair and a piece of gum. I have had a few people come up to me in person to check on me. (*with smirky grins on their faces* Don't think I didn't notice) However, I have noticed that these folks were expecting my hair to much shorter than my known "above the bra strap" length. Don't fret, I didn't cut any length off at all. It was just several strands of hair that I had to cut. In fact, I couldn't tell you exactly where those strands are now. They blend in with the rest of my layers that I already had.

I appreciate all the concern from my fans out there. :) No worries. (This post does take quite a bit of my thunder from the previous post though)

Mama Always Said...

2008-10-23T21:12:00.007-06:00

You know when you were a young buck and mama always said, "Don't play with your gum"? I never understood that. I never had problems with losing control of my chewing gum. I blow bubbles, twirl gum around my finger.... I find my gum out of my mouth quite a bit.

Tonight I decided at my ripe age of 22, I was going to learn a new trick with my gum. I've always wanted to be able to spit my gum up into the air and catch it again when it comes back down. So I began to practice. After the first try, I shockingly failed. But, I couldn't find my gum. And then....
...lesson learned. I had no other option but to cut it out. Please take this opportunity to forget what I do for a living, for the moment.

Tagged! (5 Things)

2008-09-23T19:51:00.003-06:00

10 Years ago I was:
1. 12 years old, 7th grade
2. Babysitting the neighborhood kids
3. Quite athletic. I loved basketball, still do
4. Way into my hair (it wasn't that great)
5. Learning sewing and cooking skills (that I still don't have)

5 things on my "to do" list today:
1. Wake up (so hard, I love sleeping in)
2. Reserve place for enrichment night
3. Return pan to Grandma
4. Tell John I love him
5. Put up fall decorations

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. Air-popped popcorn
2. Cookies
3. Otter-pops (Red)
4. Chocolate
5. Fruit

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire
1. Buy a house
2. Buy a car
3. Go on a couple of trips (not just one, a couple)
4. Go on a shopping spree
5. Roll in the cash and sing, "If I were a rich man"

5 places I have lived:
1. Smithfield
2. Logan
3. (yes that's all)
4.
5.

5 jobs I have had:
1. Sno Shack (sno cone maker/"runner", somewhat a manager)
2. Cynthia's Upholstery (removing fabric from furniture)
3. The Buckle (freight)
4. The Hair Company (cosmetologist)
5.

tag:
1. Mom
2. Marie
3. Jessica
4. Lindsey
5. Erin

Our Military Weekend

2008-09-17T16:03:00.010-06:00

Military Ball. Can you believe that we actually get to go to a ball? It's not much of a fairytale ball, though (Bummer), but it is rather fun to doll up for the evening. This specific ball was located at UVU (use to be UVSC). We showed up, mixed and mingled, sat down, listen to a short program, got our food (very yummy food), ate it, and left. We found out we could leave after dinner, so that's what we did. As soon, as we got up, they began giving out awards. So we bolted for the door before we felt obligated to stay. So I don't know if there was dancing or not. Maybe next time we'll stay longer.... maybe.

Govenor's Day. Did you know there was such a thing. Well there is. And we got to go. It was held in the Rice Eccles Stadium. John had to be in formation by 9:00 AM. So I sat and waited for the "parade" to begin at 10:00 AM. The parade consited of different military units from Utah. They marched around the football field, saluted the govenor, and then filed on the football field. It was so amazing to see so many men and women in uniform. They filled the whole football field. (I know, I didn't get a picture. Next year.) There were some airplanes and helicopters fly over our heads. That was neat. I do have to say the rest of the program was rather boring. They just gave out awards to different soldiers, and the govenor gave a speech. This did take a good hour and a half. I was dying of heat. Half my face a sunburnt, and i have new tan lines. I could only imagine how John felt. They had more activities for the rest of the day, but they were mostly for little kids' entertainment. We'll stay longer another time. (That is John next to the 43 line)

My Army Man

Where's John?
Do you remember the game "Where's Waldo?" See if you can find John. He's in there I promise. (Hint: He is wearing a black beret and he is close enough you can see his face)

Oh My ... What Happened?

2008-09-12T00:13:00.006-06:00

*WARNING: Wincing, goosebumps, gagging, or even possible vomit may occur from viewing photos below. However, they are a must see.*

I was on my way home from work, when my phone began to ring. It was my dear husband, John. The first words from John on the phone was, "Do we have hydrogen peroxide?"

I responded, "We have rubbing alcohol."

"No, it has to be hydrogen peroxide."

"Why?"

"I need it to remove the blood from my military cap."

"Why is there blood on your military cap?"

"I had an accident."

"I would start talking if I were you..."

John was being timed while during an obstacle course for ROTC. He was making great speed, when all of a sudden, he hit his head on a beam. (He didn't see it because his cap blocked his vision) He hit it hard enough that the military rank pin that was pinned on his cap, pierced his head. He felt the sudden pain, enough for a 4 letter word to slip out of his mouth. But, he continued to finish the obstacle course. He then removed his hat in time to notice the blood spewing from his brain. His military buddies also began to say 4 letter words when they looked at his head.

The Pin Marks
Blood In Hat (after it was cleaned a bit)
You can also see the marks and blood in his hairline

John is fine. In fact, he feels rather tough. He does say it hurts a bit. But, I do have to admit, when I found out John was okay, I began to laugh.. a lot. Though, he does look rather manly in his army uniform and the blood. Meow.

*Moral of the Story: Hydrogen Peroxide really does help remove blood stains!

Korea - by John

2008-09-03T19:34:00.009-06:00

I'm pretty sure that everybody that would read this blog already knows that I'm in the military. If not, I'm in the military. One weekend a month, two weeks a year. This year my two weeks was in Korea. Most people that I've talked to seemed to think that it would be boot camp'ish. It wasn't very physically demanding. In fact, most of the time was spent in an office. I shadowed a lieutenant, Lt. Holly Thomas, and helped with the logistical aspect of their unit's field training exercise (FTX). So I did really important stuff like order ice and food for the company. Many of soldiers would have parrished without my hard work.

I did get off base when I could. I didn't take as many pictures as I probably could, but here's a few:

Here is Korea's palace of palaces... and the guards have cool glued on beards. I tried to take a self-portrait with the front one, but they jumped on me. Actually, they just told me "No, no."

Here is a really cool building behind the palace that is a museum, which seemed pretty cool, but it had "cool" stuff like...

...these fine automobiles... wow...

If you like shopping, this is the place to be. You can find the real stuff and its ripped off counter-part.

this is where i lived for two weeks. not quite the Hilton. nor Motel 8 for that matter.

Birthday Blues

2008-08-19T17:40:00.002-06:00

08.08.08. There are so many things that happened on this date. The Olympics began, there were tons of weddings (I heard there were 150 weddings scheduled at the Mt. Timpanogos Temple this day - who knows if it is true, but I'm sure it was close), and more! But what most don't know, was the luckiest birthday of all time!

About a year ago, we were invited to a 007 birthday party. (We have a picture of us from that party you must see. Click on "April" under our blog archive, then scroll down) Our friend was turning 21 on 07.07.07. 7+7+7=21. John simply said, "That would be so cool to have a birthday like that. No one ever gets a birthday like that."Right after the words spilled out of his mouth, we stopped, looked at each other, and our mouths dropped to the floor. We instantly realized that John was having his 24th birthday on 08.08.08. He was so excited. For a year, he planned on his super cool birthday. He was even going to drive over to the Idaho border and purchase himself a lottery ticket, because we all know he would've won it for sure. He even planned a day at Bear Lake with his family.

(Side Note)For those of you who don't know, John is in the National Guard. He has to give up 1 weekend a month, and 2 weeks a year. This year, we had the opportunity to spend those 2 weeks in Korea. A few weeks before this once in a lifetime birthday, John looked up his flight plan for when he had to fly to Korea. As far as we knew, John didn't leave until August 9. Wrong! They changed his flight to the 8th of August instead, first thing in the morning. All his year's worth of planning went down the loo. Not only did he miss his birthday, he literally lost half of it on his way to Korea because of the time change. (Korea is about 16 hours ahead of us) I have never seen such a broken heart in my life.

Don't feel too bad for him though. John was taken care of before he left. My mom made him a birthday cake and dinner. John's parents and family spent the day at Lagoon with us, and gave him 24 lotto tickets. Those are only a few examples. He defiantly had his fair share of birthday time, if not more. But I'm sure when he gets back (This Saturday, Aug. 23 - I'm so excited) he will STILL be milking the whole situation anyway.

Happy Birthday, Babe. I love you!

Yellowstone Pics.

2008-08-13T00:12:00.000-06:00

Yellowstone Trip

2008-08-12T21:14:00.008-06:00

We were invited to spend the week with my family in Yellowstone. We filled it with all sorts of events, but some moments were highlighted more than others...

For example, "Da Bear". If you click on the picture to make it larger, it will be proof that it is for sure a grizzly in the wild. My brothers were convinced they were going to find a bear on this trip. Sure enough, Wade spotted some. But not this one. We pulled out a scope and saw some Grizzly bears about a mile way. Wade went to see if he could get a better view closer, but then quickly found the one that was about 100 yards away from us. Naturally, our focus turned to the bear. He seemed to mind his own business, but slowly got closer to the crowd. (not us, the crowd 100 yard away) Would you believe all the people you see in this photo? None of them moved with how close the bear was. We were pretty close as well, but we didn't seem to be as near in danger as they were. The bear did end up crossing the road, and probably made the car it crossed in front of leak some oil or something. It was quite the sight to see.

This is Old Faithful. John likes to now call it "Old Disappointment". Old Faithful is suppose to go off every hour. Or every hour and a half. I can't remember. Either way, your suppose to give or take 10 minutes for the geyser to blow. We waited 45 minutes after it's scheduled eruption! It's still really cool to see.

This is me in front of Midway Geyser. It was rather warm. This wasn't a huge highlight on the trip. The reason why I'm showing this photo is to show off my claw. We stayed in a "time share" with my family, so we made most of our food. My sister-in-law, Kali, made this delicious brownie toffee thing. We were using a steak knife to cut out the brownies because they were hard to cut a piece. I was holding the pan from slipping, but I wasn't paying attention to the steak knife. It slipped, and I cut myself on the web part in between my pointer and thumb on my left hand. Instantly, I had a geyser of my own. We took a look at and realized I needed stitches. John called to find out where the nearest medical place was that wasn't closed at the time, and they said 80 miles away from where we were. Lucky for us, Susan (my sister-in-law) is a RN. She looked at it, and said that we could just super glue it. So, that's what we did. All I wanted was a brownie. My hand healed pretty quick, and I'll obviously have a scar. I feel real fortunate to have a husband that was so willing to help in my time of need. He rocks.

It was so fun to be with my family. Some of us are moving, and so we probably won't be able to do these quick trips as often as we usually do. Love you guys!

4th of July

2008-08-12T20:38:00.011-06:00

Happy Independence Day! It's been awhile since I have done my blogging, so I'm relying on my memory. This 4th of July was an all American way to celebrate. We went to Salt Lake to spend the festivities with the Fraidenburg clan. John's parents were so kind to hook us up to watch the Salt Lake Bees (baseball). We had awesome seats! We were sat on the third base line, 7 rows back! We were defiantly in foul ball lane. This was proven when we noticed a speedy foul ball headed our way. It was about to hit John's sister, Marie. She luckily ducked, but unfortunately, the little girl behind her, didn't. Her eye instantly swelled and turned purple. She looked like she was in pain, but impressingly, was quite the trooper. The ball game was followed by a firework show in the ballpark. It was so fun to get with John's family. We hardly ever get to see them. Oh - and the Bee's lost.Tina, John, and Boyce

Trey

Boyce

Front Row(L-R): Walt, Traci, Trey's Seat, My Seat, Trey, John
Back Row (L-R): Luke, Boyce's head, Marie, Cassandra, Mary, David

Congrats Wade and Kali!

2008-07-02T23:20:00.003-06:00

My big brother got married! I'm so happy for him. Wade is 3 years older than me. (Technically, 2 years 8 months, but whatever). Wade is the sweetest guy I have ever known. I would always go to him for advice. That's a good thing, considering he is majoring in psychology. Wade and Kali (pronounced "Kay-lee") were married June 28, 2008 in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. Their wedding was gorgeous! Everything was so beautiful. In fact, click on to their link from my list. In one of her most recent posts, they have their wedding pics you can look at. It's well worth it. They will be moving to Boston at the end of this summer. Wade is going to UMASS for his major in psychology (stated before). We are so excited for the two of them, and I'm so happy to have Kali as a sister-in-law. I just love her! Good luck, you two! We love you.

The New Mr. and Mrs. Crookston

2008-06-23T23:05:00.002-06:00

On June 21, 2008, Travis and Megan were married. Trav is a favorite. He is a cousin of mine that I grew up with. When I was a sophomore in high school, he was a cool senior with a jeep wrangler. He would drive me home from school to help me out with my popularity. It is one of the best memories of him. He finally met the love of his life, Megan. She is such a doll. They had a beautiful garden ceremony. (Riter Mansion, Logan, UT) We are so happy for them, and wish the best.

Demoltion Derby

2008-06-23T22:46:00.005-06:00

John loves the derby. I introduced one to him, and now we hardly miss them. There is an odd thrill in watching cars (in this case, trucks) run into each other and kill the other's engine. The winner, of course, wins a hefty amount of money. Would you believe that we actually paid $8 to watch this? Yeah, well, we did. But what else do you do in Logan? The funny thing, though, is that we seem to always run into our friends at the derby. We sat by our friends Rob and Sarah Bowles. Sarah was one of my best friends in middle school and high school. We absolutely love the both of them. We then realized that sitting in front of us were the Piersons. They are neighbors to my parents. Tina (the mother of the family) was one of my Young Woman leaders and also took our beautiful engagement and wedding photos. Their daughter, Hannah, LOVES John. So she sat with us through the whole derby. The next time you go to a derby in Logan, look for us. Chances are, we probably will be there.

Feeding Clark

2008-06-23T22:12:00.004-06:00

John's sister, Melissa, came to visit! Her husband, Andy, got a job in Portland, Oregon as an illustrator. We hardly ever get to see her and her cute little family. So, it is a hoot and a half when the Ereksons come to visit. Melissa has two kids. Grace is 3 1/2 years old, and Clark is almost 8 months. John was really excited to feed him. However, John forgot that feeding babies turns into poopy diapers. This isn't a big deal (we all poop), but John just happened to be the one to volunteer to clean an explosion Clark created. It was rather entertaining to watch John in the cleaning process. (I don't think John enjoyed it too much) But, we were so excited to see the Ereksons and can't wait to see them again.

Gone... Froggin'?

2008-05-14T15:30:00.005-06:00

Yes, froggin'. Our next door neighbors (Keegan and Lindsey Bench) invited us for a frog hunt. We went in the swampy areas of Cache Valley to do so. John and Keegan did the dirty work, as Lindsay and I watched from the sidelines. It was a unique way of getting to know our neighbors more, but it was pretty fun.

Me and John in his new outfit.

Keegan and John hunting.

We hunted for a good 3 hours before Keegan was able to catch this one little frog.

Our New Guest House

2008-05-07T22:21:00.014-06:00

Aggie Village is the family housing located on the USU campus. Most of them are two bedroom apartments, with white cinder-block walls. You feel like you are in a church's classroom. They do have washer/dryer hookups, but there's only enough room to put the washer in the bathroom, the dryer belongs out on the back patio. There is NO air conditioning. None. This means it is baking hot in the dead heat of the summer. But it is hard to believe that it is an ice box in the winter. The parking lot is at least 100 yards away. That's not too terrible, but you're fighting the one good parking stall with the other 36 residence that live here. Also, it is a long walk when that bitter cold canyon wind hits you in the face as you walk back to your apartment. ...we live in Aggie Village. We've been here for the last year and a half. It sounds like we are in a pretty bad situation. We are. But it has been such a humbling an learning experience. We live in a great ward, and have made some wonderful friends. We live here for that very reason, not to mention the free internet, free cable, free utilities (except for electric and gas), close to campus, and the super cheap rent.
We have our few visitors that are nice enough to see us under these conditions and are willing to actually spend the night. (Thanks Mom and Dad Fraidenburg, and Josh) We have our room in the "master" bedroom (obviously) and our second room is the "office". It is filled with all of our indoor storage, so there is no room to let anybody stay in there. Therefore, the tiny front room is the only available spot, and usually you end up on the floor. GREAT NEWS! Thanks to Mom and Dad Poulsen, we now have a tent that will act as our new guest house. No excuses anymore, people. We have plenty of room for visitors... out in our backyard that is. We still have the front room, but here is now a much more spacer option. *wink, wink*

I Got Tagged!

2008-04-22T18:58:00.005-06:00

Who do you love? John, of course! As well as Antonio.... and Ricardo.... and Fronk.
How long have you been married? 1 year and 5 months. Not long, but that was a quick year and a half.
Who said 'I love you' first? John. About a month after we started dating. I'm so glad he said it first, because i refused to.
How long did you date? We dated 3 months before we were engaged, then engaged for 5 months. That adds up to 8 months.
Where did he propose? 2nd Dam in Logan Canyon. When we were dating, we would go on walks near that area. He had a picnic basket that was wired with a microphone, a camera in the bushes, and a 3 year old (thank you Boyce) with roses ask me to marry him. How do you say no? Just kidding, I love John, and it was and adorable way to ask.
Who is taller? John, by a full head and a neck. He's 6' - 6'1", I'm 5'4".
Who is smarter? John. He is going to school to be a civil engineer. Enough said.
Who does the laundry? That would be me. (John will too, rarely)
Who pays the bills? Me as well.
Who mows the lawn? We don't have a yard yet. But hopefully someday me. That's my favorite chore. As long as it is a riding lawn mower.
Who cooks dinner? Cafe Rio. If not them, some other restaurant. If not them, then me.
Who drives? John. I like it better when he drives. I get intimidated if a guy is in the passenger seat. Stupid i know, but true.

I tag Marie, Kali, Amanda, and Emma

Wedding Pictures

2008-04-22T10:15:00.002-06:00

Party Like A Rock Star

2008-04-15T17:06:00.004-06:00

We were invited to another birthday party where we had to party like rock stars. If you look closely, John is wearing black eye liner. I tried to spray hairspray in his eyes to make them look blood shot, but he wouldn't let me.

007

2008-04-15T16:16:00.010-06:00

John and I were invited to a birthday party 07/07/07. Hence, the 007 theme. I think we look rather smashing.