So I have to be the worst blogger in the world! Life has been crazy busy. I'm working almost 50 hours a week and Josh is always gone. So on Thursday, when we both have a free day, it's SO nice to spend some time together. Last Thursday, we had a nice morning. It was slow and relaxing and then we ran some errands. We went to ASU so Josh could work on some Veterans stuff for school.

The parking garage was full so we found an IHOP parking lot that literally had 3 cars in it but it also said it was only for IHOP customers and people staying in the hotel. We figured we only be a few minutes so we risked it. The ASU errand went smoothly and it only took a half hour and we walked back to our car.

It wasn't there! They really towed our car out of an empty parking lot! Josh felt stupid and it really didn't bother me until I read that it would cost $135.
We started walking toward the towing place and making phone calls to see if anyone at all could come save us. Unfortunately, everyone has lives and were busy at the moment. The place we needed to go to was 5 or 6 miles away so we kept walking. Josh remembered that the recruiting station he worked at last year was on mclintock and broadway so we walked a couple miles there.

When we got there, there was one guy in there. Josh started talking small talk with questions like, "So what are you doing today?" "So, You're doing nothing?" "Do you have a car?" and "You're really doing nothing right now?". He never caught on so Josh finally asked him for a ride. He said yes but he was out of gas and we offered him some money for gas. We get in the car and he has to breathe in a stinkin breathalizer (sp?) before he can start the car! Our luck is amazing. We made it to the towing place safe and got our car out, minus $135 dollars.
So our relaxing day off became not so relaxing.

Also... we went to the Marine ball and Alyssa did my hair and I loved it!!! It was so pretty. The ball was boring tho, we left early.




LOVE THE HAIR! Josh looked nice also!



And I know this is late but that's how all my posts are so Mac was the cutest Pirate for Halloween! I took some pictures of him before he got too annoyed with his costume but he's oh so cute!





So i think that's a good enough blog for now. hopefully it's not february before i make my next blog. If it is Merry Christmas everyone!!

update...

So... it's been a while since I've posted anything! here's a little update with what's been going on. Josh started school in August. He's taking physics, spanish, communications and a gym class. He's working in the evenings too so I rarely see him. He's got drill this weekend so he'll leave tomorrow morning at like 4 and come home Sunday night....sad.
I'm still working at The Orange Patch Too. It's getting to be the busy season and we've got Christmas stuff up which is sooo cute! I'll probably be sick of it by Christmas. It's almost time for oranges too, I'm so excited. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my life. I want to go to school but I don't know what for and I know I'm a little late on deciding that.
My brother Blake hit his year mark on September 10th so he's almost been out 13 months! We're so excited to be in the second year. He told us in his last email that he was doing lunges with some weights and his stomach started hurting pretty bad. After a couple days it still hurt so he went to the hospital. They told him he has a hernia in his stomach which I guess can be pretty bad. They gave him medicine but he might have to have an "operacion." He's forgetting how to spell words in English...it's kinda funny. I hope he's ok!
Mac is 10 months old now and is a chunk! He's 22.5 lbs. He's so dang cute tho. I love it when he comes over. He's started to walk a little. He'll do so good and then just fall forward. He talks to us all the time! He says mama and dada but then he just makes his own little noises and he loves to give kisses. They're so slobbery but its so cute. We love the little guy.
Well...Josh and I figured out why we're so boring. We're losers by choice. We never make a huge effort to do anything. By the time we both get home we just want to stay home, watch a movie and go to bed. That is why my blog is so boring. Hopefully we get to be more exciting people someday!

Happy 4th of July

Last weekend we went up to the White Mountains with my family. We left Thursday night and stayed til Sunday. It was so relaxing and the weather was incredible. Josh's brothers went bull riding on Friday while we were on a hike. I knew Josh really wanted to go so I told him if we were back in time, he could. We weren't... and he was really disappointed. The next day was the 4th of July and we went to the parade in Eagar, which has been a family tradition forever. It's not the greatest but I like it. We got back to camp and had hamburgers and Josh got a call to go bull riding. They assured me that they were older bulls and not as bad. So we went and this is how it went...

Josh's brother Justin

Jaren's the one on the bull.... and Jeremy's the one under the bull.
You can hear his mom scream...it was scary.

This is Josh's first ride and he did pretty good.

Here's his second ride.

Now I really have something to tell... Whenever Josh is gone, i usually hang out with my mom. So on Saturday, after I cleaned and did laundry, I decided to head over to my mom's house. I went down Hermosa Vista to Gilbert and was waiting at the light which always takes forever to turn green. It finally did, and this time I actually looked to make sure cars were slowing down. I went to make my left hand turn to go North on Gilbert road and I looked to the left and a little black Dodge in the far left lane going South on Gilbert was coming at me. I remember thinking something like "Why isn't she stopping?" and then, bam! She hit me. I don't remember the initial hit or moving or my car sliding into another car stopped at the light in the traffic going North on Gilbert road. When I finally came back, I saw my cracked windshield and it took a few seconds to realize what had just happened. I took off my seatbelt and got out of the car and noticed everyone else was walking around. A witness stopped and asked if I was ok and told me that the lady driving the Dodge did run the red light. I asked him if I could use his phone cause I couldn't find mine and I called my mom.

The first police officer showed up and started talking to the witness and the other driver. I was just waiting there, going through crying sessions. While I was crying the fire department and the ambulance came. Also, I want to mention how great my family is. I made one phone call, and before I knew it, my grandma and grandpa, Jenna, Todd, Mac, my mom, Bryce, his friend Michael, and my Aunt Gayle were there. I also called Josh but he didn't get reception in California so i left him a message. He didn't get it until Sunday morning so he was worried.

One of the firemen knew my family and so he helped me get everything out of my car so they could tow it away. The trunk was stuck so they had to help me open it.

I watched as they towed the first car I have ever owned away. At the time there was so much going on, of course, but now I'm kinda sad to think I probabaly won't drive my Mazda anymore. It honestly was such a great car.

After we got all the info we needed we went to my mom's truck and my Grandpa and Todd gave me a blessing which I am so grateful for. Everyone told me I should go to the hospital to get check out. I was kinda sore and it was hard to walk on my heel so we were off to the hospital. This is the first time I have ever been in the hospital for myself! It wasn't fun at all. I waited forever! But everything turned out to be alright. I'm just bruised and sore! BTW... this is the first thing Josh saw when he got his phone turned on.
At least I was smiling?

Well, I really feel so blessed. My grandpa said if i had been a little farther out in the intersection she would've hit the driver's side door, which would've been me. Looking at me, you wouldn't know I was in an accident. The Lord was really watching out for me and I have so much to be thankful for. It was scary but no one was hurt. I know I wrote a lot but I really needed to write it down for myself cause I'm a horrible journal writer... Well, I'll let you know how it all turns out!

I'm a Slacker!

It's been a while... there's not much that has happened to us that is quite blog worthy. Josh is gone on a Drill Weekend in California so I thought I'd update the old blog. Josh and I did make a really fun purchase! We both love to play the piano but we don't have a ton of money or much room so we bought a digital piano from Costco. It is the funnest thing, it sounds like a real piano and it also has an Ipod dock. It's really great. Sometimes, I have to threaten to take the cord away cause Josh is playing the piano instead of doing homework.

Update on Mac... He's almost 5 months old and 2 of his bottom teeth are coming in. You can actually see them, it's crazy how time goes so fast. I can make him laugh pretty good, I have to act like I'm crazy but he loves it. Jenna and Todd bought a house out in Queen Creek so I'm gonna have to drive 30 minutes to see them. I'm kinda sad but I'm so excited for them to be home owners. Mac's wearing my sunglasses in this picture... he looks good!

Well, Blake's been out for almost 8 months now! I can't believe it. He's doing great. His birthday is on May 25th and he'll be 20 years old! His grammar in his emails is getting worse but I've heard that means they're speaking the language there better. Surprisingly I miss him. I always said I couldn't wait until he left on his mission but I really do miss him. My cousin Brady Freeman comes home on the 13th and I'm way excited. He was seriously the life of the party. He's been on a mission in Korea and I can't wait to see him.

My mom is doing good. She's a Laurel adviser and still works a lot. She bought a new camping trailer that we are so excited to use this summer up in the White Mountains. It's so nice compared to her old one. I still hang out with her a lot, even though Josh is home now. She is really the best mom and I'm so grateful for her!

(Elder Blake Smith)

Our update... Josh is almost done with this semester of school and is so ready for a break. During the long awaited 2 week break we're going to go up to Utah and just relax. We haven't made plans other than where we're staying. I want to go to a couple shops and Josh wants to see my uncle's Military museum. I'm so excited to spend some time with Josh. I feel like I never see him. He's been so busy with school and work so this vacation is much needed! I'll try to remember to take pictures while we're up there so I can post them. I can't promise anything though, I'm the worst!

Here's a few random pictures...



Josh being gross...



Mac was lovin' the swing! So cute!



Josh's 26th birthday! I made the candle in the shape of a J... I didn't have enough candles for the old fart.



A tree in my mom's yard rotted and my grandpa was on a fork lift cutting down the branches. He's pretty much crazy but I love him.



Here's my beautiful mom!

Well... This has taken me long enough so that's all for now!

Camelback Mt

Josh and I finally had a whole day off together so we decided to go up Camelback Mountain on Thursday. I thought I was in better shape but it was a lot harder than I thought. I was definitely struggling but it was nice to get to the top and look at the view!

However.... on the way down I was cruising; going faster than Josh. So I was pretty proud of myself, feeling pretty confident. About halfway down, I wasn't paying too much attention and my foot slipped and I fell right on a jagged rock on my rear. I just sat there and Josh asked me if I was alright and the lady just a few rocks down said it was a hard fall cause she heard it. I wanted to cry from embarrassment but I'll admit it hurt pretty bad. It still hurts to do a lot of things but overall I loved the hike and can't wait to go back!

My Cake!

I made a cake! My cousin got this banana cake recipe from Paula Dean and made little cupcakes for my other cousin's bridal shower. They were really good so she emailed me the recipe and I tried making the cake tonight. We haven't eaten any of it yet but it doesn't look too bad. I'm so proud of myself tho cause baking and cooking scare me to death. I'm trying to overcome my fear of the kitchen so hopefully this doesn't taste bad... cause that might make things worse.