No longer HomeLESS, Just JobLESS and SchoolLESS

Dan and I are LESS a lot of things right now. Last week I set off to Utah to try to remedy the homeless part. On my lovely United Flight (I HATE YOU ALLEGIANT AIRLINES), I made a list of what I was looking for:

•  Dishwasher
• Washer & Dryer
• Not part of a Giant Noisy Complex 
• Near Public Transit
• Wood flooring
• Allows Dogs over 25 lbs
• Isn't crazy expensive

(Let it be known I've lived without ALL of those things for 3 years, I'm sick of it).
I didn't think my list was too demanding, but I quickly discovered I'd more likely find a unicorn roaming the street of SLC than find an apartment that met all my criteria.

My mom picked me up and we got right to work:  scouring Craiglist, KSL, the institute housing board, and just driving around looking for "For Rent" signs. The first few houses we saw looked a little like this:

Except worse. The very first house was one we found on the institute housing board and met my budget criterea, but offered no information about the home other than "Comes with a Free Boat Ride!" We were intrigued. Turns out the boat ride was indeed the only selling point of that place: basement apartment, holes in the floor, exposed wiring, broken whiskey bottles, etc. etc. The trend continued as we looked at apartments which fell in my initial price range, yet coincidentally all fell in super sketchy areas. Living next door to bees stadium anyone? We quickly developed a "Nothing west of 9th, or south of the I-80" rule. Which led to an upping of price range.

this is what happens when you forget to take pictures and resort to googeling "clawfoot tub"

After a few days of dismal searching, I got a message from a landlord of house I had called on the very first day we were there. It was a darling victorian home in the avenues/capitol hill. Had all of my specifications. EXCEPT no dog. I guess all dreams can't come true. But it does have a clawfoot tub. So we'll make do.

Once we finally found an acceptable option and submitted an application, we proceeded to devour a celebratory half baked cookie at The Pie, and the went straight to the paradisiacal glory that is St. George.

A few highlights from my happy time:

There was frozen Yogurt eating

There was "eastering". My dad is the egg decorating master. My mom is the best easter bunny to ever live. Cute dresses, Glitter Toe nails, money... This bunny hides sweet eggs.

photo courtesy of kiersten

There was this. This is the face of pure evil. It is my sister Anna's ferret, "Finn" or "Satan incarnate". He stole my beloved Garmin watch. Apparently he has a fetish for plastic objects. He took it down the vent.

My father descended into the crawl space under the house and ripped apart the duct work. He recovered my watch, as well as many other things Finn had in his little treasure trove. Not cool.

There was visiting Sister Kiersten and her gentlemen friend in Cedar City and checking out SUU.

There was lunch with an 19 month old who doesn't like me all that much. But I love him. And his beautiful mom, my bff Branda.

I cried when dropped off at the snazzy new st. george airport. I love my family. I love st. george. I love being warm and stress free. I love everything about home. Except that damned ferret. 

Showering "Baby on Board" Sue & Baby Silver Bullet

I love Sue, she is one of the sweetest people I know and has long wanted a baby (It blows my mind, but I can respect it). Baby Maloy was long anticipated, Bonni and I were excited to put together a shower for her. When we began plotting this party Sue had just had an ultrasound where the doctor was "75% sure its a boy" due to "suggestions of a penis".  We proceeded on this information to plan a boy pirate baby shower with the tag line "Ahoy, its a boy!" Well, a few weeks & another ultrasound later and Dr. Walker now was "90% its a girl." hahaha. 

So we transitioned to a somewhat gender nuetral but in all honesty girly palate of spring pastels and easterish animals with a tagline, "A baby is about to hatch!" Then, 2 days before the shower, Sue has a 3rd ultrasound where Dr. Walker now pronounced baby Maloy "99% a boy, look at that man missile!" Despite "baby silver bullet" lack of cooperation, I think the shower was a success!

 For me, any type of gathering is all about THE FOOD! We had Creme Brulee French Toast, Poppy Seed Sandwiches, Fruit & Dip, Banana Bread, Coconut Cupcakes, and Frosted Sugar Cookies! Yeah, I'm still reeling.

I saw mini glass bottles and striped straws on a party blog and could not sleep till I made them mine!

I don't care for coconut, but these cupcakes were too well coordinated to the theme to pass up.

Sue insisted on making her own favors, these darling caramel apples that turned out just like Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory's!

That's right, I sewed a bunting flag banner. I'm one wallpapered closet away from being a mormon mommy craft blogger. Kill me now.

Thank you to everyone who came! There were some really fun girls who supported and I definitely had fun chatting it up. As well as talking, we played the "candy bar diaper game" and a quiz game where we had Sue try to match Rick's answers to baby related questions. 

Sue scored some great presents.

Yeah for Rick & Sue on their upcoming BOY!

May all his gender confusion be over forevermore.

We love you Baby Silver Bullet. 

Congrats!

Another Happy Week Gone By

Happiness in it's many forms...

I got home from a long day at work to discover a lovely surprise package from Branda! Of all holidays, I think Easter has the best candy, by far. And the Reese Pieces Eggs Branda sent me are no exception. They lasted all of 2 minutes in our house. And let's just say Mr. Bitey wasn't eating any...

Conference makes me happy, I really enjoy listening to it and feeling like I need to be a million times better than I currently am. Other thing I love about conference = food. The BYU co-ed in me can't enjoy the first weekend in April without a "Conference Party". Luckily Sue hosted one and I was able to make & devour a Chocolate Sheet Cake. I'd been wanting to make one all week, but decided it was inappropriate to make a jelly roll pan full of cake for one person. Not that I haven't done it before... (Freshman BYU year).....

Whenever I ask Dan what I should blog about, he responds, "Blog about how awesome I am."

Dan is awesome. This week he vacuumed and dusted the apartment, WITHOUT ME ASKING. He test drove BOB strollers with me at REI and agreed they are a necessity before we procreate - thus making me more awesomely in love with him. And at lunch yesterday he let me have some of his french fries, even though I should've just ordered my own instead of pretending to want salad as a side dish.

Let the record state: 

LAUREN FINDS HER HUSBAND, DAN, TOTALLY AWESOME. He makes me Happy. 

And finally, a mixed happy/unhappy thing: Friday was my last day at work.

It's been a good job:

• I really loved my co-worker Natalie. We share a love for Lululemon that no one else understands and go to random classes at the sports center together in aforementioned overpriced gear. 
• Dr. D was great to work for, even if my "mormoness" blew his mind. He was always generous in taking me and Dan out to fancy Carmel restaurants and letting Natalie and I spend his store credit at the fancy Carmel boutique Paloosh. 
• I had good hours, good pay - I can't complain too much. But I still did. There were days when I would have rather poked my eyes out with rusty spoons than fill another Botox syringe for a condescending patient. Most the time I felt like it was just a menial job that I was tolerating for the time being and couldn't wait to move on to bigger and better things....

I really thought when quitting day finally came I wouldn't miss it at all. 

But on friday, I clocked out for the last time and I cried. Maybe it was the hug Dr. D gave me. Maybe it was the fact that I got MY LAST paycheck. But mostly I think it was just the finality of it all. The end of a job means change. And I hate change.

But I better get use to it. Three more weeks, and it all changes. 

Wow, that sounded incredibly melodramatic. 

I should stick to happy thoughts. Until next time.