Loss

This time last year I was preparing myself to lose the most important person in my life. My Grandpa was in hospice and he was pretty unresponsive at this time. They told us that they would be able to tell when the end was near with the breathing. I decided to take my Grandma home so she could try and get some sleep as I knew the next day was probably going to be a long one. Around 1 am my uncles came home from the hospital to get my Grandma and shortly after my Grandpa passed away with his entire family surround him.

There was something so peaceful about him passing. Almost a sense of relief. He had been in so much pain for so long and I was so happy that he was finally at rest. He fought cancer so hard to the bitter end. He probably didn't know that he was doing it, but at the same time he was teaching each and everyone of us the best lesson he ever could. You live your life to the fullest until the bitter end.

So, technically Dec 20th is the day that my Grandpa passed, but today is really the day that hurts.

Sharing life's adventures

Most of the people in my life know that I like to share information. I have no qualms about sharing details of my life. I will update my Facebook status about almost anything. I will write blogs about my post personal feelings. That is just me. I am an open book. Nathan on the other hand, well, lets just say he is quite a bit different. He is much more private, hardly ever updates his status, likes the blog idea, but would probably prefer if his feelings were left out! :)  

To get to the point, I tell the people I work with everything that happens. You see, I live quite the adventurous life. Really, not joking at all. They laugh at me, (with me), give me advice and anything else that a girl would need. These people have become like family to me and I couldnt imagine them not knowing about my life. (Insert Nathan getting a promotion here.) He is now the Manager over the department that I work in. Meaning all of these people, my family, he is there boss. Usually my stories have something to do about him. Or, make people question why he ever decided to marry someone as ditzy as me! 

So, Friday morning when I was late to work because I backed into the garage door and it wouldnt open, was just another one of those moments when Nathan wishes I would just tell people I "had car problems!"

Red Light, Finally!

Wowza! Life has been BUSY! The company that we work for did a reorganization and Nathan came out ahead! He got promoted to a Manager position of the department that I work in. Yes, for a while, he is my boss!! I am getting moved to a different department, we are just trying to find the right fit for me! It is great that we work for a company that cares so much about both of us. With this, Nathan has been working longer hours trying to get used to the new department and everything that is going on. It has been quite the adjustment.

We got our engagement pictures taken and that was a great experience! We had so much fun and even when times are tough or stressed it reminds me of how much we truly love each other. My Grandpa got me a sign a few years ago at a flea market that says "Happiness is a journey, not a destination". I really beleive that is true and I am reminded of that daily with the every day ups and downs of life.

We have also been working on our 5 yr and 10 yr plans, which is fun, scary, weird, exciting, all rolled into one. Its so crazy to me that a year ago if you would have asked me if I would be in this place today, I would laugh at you. Yet here I am. I could not imagine being anywhere else.

I was also very proud of us because with all that is going on, I got our Christmas card/Save The Dates sent out.

So Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

The soon-to-be Joneses! :)

Life

I was doing very well with blogging, but lately I have been very busy! Well, we have been very busy. I got the fli, and then Nathan got a cold (still has it actually). The he gave me the cold back, and here we are today. Still sick.

A quick update. Wedding planning is going great. I think the lack of wedding planning is really what is going great. I really decided to take a step back for a while and it has been wonderful. We are just relaxed and enjoying the upcoming holiday season. We got our Christmas tree up and we are in full swing of the holidays.  If I am feeling better, I plan on getting all of our shopping done tomorrow, wrapped and under the Christmas tree. Lets just hope Jack doesn't life his leg to the presents!

I have really been spending more time in the kitchen, trying new recipes and doing fun recipes. The good thing is that Nathan will pretty much eat anything. There have been a few things that I just don't like, but Nathan eats them up! It has been great trying out this whole wife thing.

With the holidays coming up, we really started to think "what are we going to do". We kind of thought this year since we were only engaged we would just do our own thing like we always have. I am going to my families house and he is going to his for Thanksgiving. We have yet to figure out Christmas. Splitting time is not fun, but we will find a way to make it work! Good thing we both have great families!

Well, thought I would just catch everyone up on our lives. I will post pictures when the presents are under the tree!

Routines

Most people who know me, know that I like routines. I like things to be done in a certain way, at a certain time and I really believe that there is an order for things to be done for a certain reason.  Call me OCD, call me crazy, call me whatever you want, but I live a pretty strressless life and I believe that it is because of the order in my life. 

With that being said, Nathan started on nights tonight where he works from about 11am-10pm. He really only needs to be there from 1pm-10pm, but as most of you also know, I am marrying a work-a-holic. :)  

This just throws an entire wrench into my routines. For the next 3 weeks, I will be home by myself at night, spending breaks by myself at work, and going to bed at night without Nathan. Yuck! 

It really isn't that bad. I also have adaptability as a strength so by Tuesday I will have a new routine in place and my life with be back in order! But for tonight, I'm going to have a bit of a self-pity party! :)

In love with my crock pot

So lately I have been making a lot of stuff in the crock pot and I just love it! It is so convient to just throw everything in there in the morning and then have dinner ready at night. Well, I had to work at 7 am this morning, so last night around 10pm I put an egg bake in the crock pot and it was ready for work this morning! Everyone at work really enjoyed it. I didn't like it much, but I'm pretty picky.

Crock pot egg bake
Place 1/3
1 30 oz bag of frozen hashbrowns
1 lb pre cooked ham-cubed
1 sm onion
1 lg green pepper
1 lb cheese
12 eggs
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Sautee chopped onion, green pepper and cubed ham. Spray crock pot with cooking spray or use crock pot liner. You will layer ingredients until the top. Place 1/3 bag of frozen hasbrowns on bottom, then add 1/3 of ham veggie mixture, then 1/3 bag of cheese. Repeat steps until all ingredients are gone. Beat eggs in bowl and add 1/4 cup milk to mixture. Pour over top of layers. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Serve with salsa if you like. Can also be mixed up and used for breakfast burritos.

How lucky we are

This weekend, Nathan and I had plans to go to my Aunt and Uncle's cabin in Southern Iowa. It was about a 3 hour drive and we really didn't want to make the full drive Saturday and then turn around and make it again on Sunday. So, we decided to go down to Newton Friday night and then drive the rest of the way Saturday. Plus my sister and brother in law were going as well, so they could just follow us down Saturday.

This took us to my Grandma's house on Friday night. She is seriously so predictable. Nathan got held up at work so we didn't get on the road until about 6:15. I had called my Grandma and told her not to make us dinner because we would be there late, and I didn't want her to stay up late. Yes, 8:00pm is late for her.  Well wouldn't you know, there was dinner there for us when we got home. She pushed and pushed food on us and Nathan just sat there and ate for her. As my Uncle and I were pushing my Grandma to go to bed, Nathan was saying that she could just stay up as late as she wanted to. As she went on and on about how she doesnt ever do anything, Nathan told her how exciting he thought her day was. She was just eating it all up.

Then comes Saturday. Nathan is outside playing with Jack and I am inside with my Grandma. I look over to see her crying and I asked her what was wrong. She told me 'I am just so lucky to have someone like him in my life". I asked her "Who Nannie? Kent?" She said "Well, yes Kent, but Nathan. I am just so lucky to have someone like Nathan in my life." I kind of set quite for a while as I was thinking to myself I AM THE LUCKY ONE! So I said "Nannie, don't you mean you are lucky that I have someone like Nathan in my life." And she simply said "No, I am lukcy to have someone like him in my life"

And with that, I say that we are BOTH very lucky to have someone like Nathan in our life!