Round 1 and 2

Round 1 went very smoothly. Braden's dad (Joe) was at the Shepherd's Conference most of the time, which was the whole reason he came out. Braden and I even were able to attend one of the evening sessions that was open to the public. CJ Mahaney spoke in place of Piper (who father had just recently passed away). It was really neat to see a large number of men coming together from all over the world practically to worship, listen to good preaching, and fellowship together.

We really enjoyed having Joe stay with us. It was great to catch up and hear news from back home. He even treated us to some delicious meals, one of which was House of Blues! Braden and I, Joe, Bob, Dave, and Braden's brother Thomas all went. Afterward I talked the guys into walking the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I'm sure they appreciated it in the end! haha!

Round 2 was a little more intense. Emily and Kara came in from visiting their friend Nathan in San Diego by the train. We picked them up late Monday night in downtown LA. It was halarious when we discovered that we barely had enough room in our car for all the suitcases they brought. It was a squeeze, but we managed. They said that last time they came to California they underpack, and this time they overpacked, so maybe next time they'll get it down! haha!

The next day Braden and I played the part of tour guide/taxi and took them to see all the sites in LA...Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and Santa Monica. We ate at the famous In and Out Burger:
Hollywood Walk of Fame:
3rd Street and Promenade shopping in Santa Monica:

Santa Monica Pier: By the time we got home we were pooped!

Wednesday I took a half day and us girls went to Ventura beach in Ventura, CA. It was a little chilly, but we made the most of it and did some exploring along the beach.
Here are some pictures: On the way home from Ventura, we stopped at a fruit stand along the 126 to get some fresh avacados, plums, and oranges. Yum!

Thursday I went back to work and Braden took Em and Kara to Newport Beach where they hooked up with some more friends for their next stop in their tour of CA.

Spring Break Plans

The next two weeks or so, we are going to be busy busy and we'll have lots of company in town. I'm really excited to see friends and family from home! Can't wait! Braden will officially start his much needed spring break on the 12th. So here's what we've got going on starting today:

3/6-3/10
Braden's dad and two guys from our church back at home (Dave and Bob) will be in town for the Shepherd's Conference at Grace. Braden's dad will be staying with us at our apartment.
Later this week Braden and I are going to try to go to one or two of the night sessions that are open to those not registered for the conference, John Piper speaks on Wed. night, Al Mohler on Thurs., and J. Mac on Fri.
Tonight we're all going to the House of Blues down on Sunset Strip in Hollywood. They have good food, although I don't think anyone is playing. That's fine with me though, because last time we were there was when my mom and sister Kendra were in town and a heavy metal rock band was rehearsing and it was pretty scary to say the least! Anything would be nice compared to that! ha!

3/12-3/15
My good friend Emily and her roommate Kara will be in town from back at home in STL to visit and stay with us. Yeah! Surely going to do some hardcore shopping! haha!

3/15-3/19
Our good friends, Kyle and Kim Hackmann will be in town from Chicago where they both attend school at Moody Bible Institute. We'll have alot of fun showing them around LA and Hollywood.

Hopefully our little apartment will be able to handle all the company! I'm so happy to have everyone stay with us...seems like right when I start to get really homesick either somone comes to visit or we get to go home to visit. I like how that always works out! I'm sure I'll have pictures from all our adventures soon!

Update!

This past week I finished up my assignment with the crazy realtor lady and then worked for a few days for a man who owned a nonprofit research company. I helped him by listening to some interviews that he had saved in files on a computer and I typed every word the people said in these interviews. I actually enjoyed it because it was different, and the man that I worked for was very kind. The interviews themselves were....well, interesting, but because of confidentiality papers I signed, I am not allowed to talk about them.

That job ended last Friday, so I checked in with my temp. agency again this morning. At first there was no news, but a half hour later I get a call back from them and they already have a new assignment for me! I start tomorrow as a receptionist at a company that distributes cable for the entertainment industry. Pray that all goes well and it works out, because this assignment would last until we move to Louisville, Kentucky in May and I'll be making more money than I have been previously, which would be very good so that Braden and I can start saving for the rental truck and all the moving expenses.

God has been so gracious to us and I am so thankful that He continues each week to provide work for me. At times it can be hard to trust that He will provide all that we need, but ultimately His will is going to be done no matter what so it is our choice to be patient, remain faithful, and trust in Him.

Only in California...

Braden and I went to the park over the weekend:

Crazy that most people don't even have wireless in their own homes, but in California, just go to your local park to surf the web.

The Life of a Temp.

So last Friday LDI told me that they would no longer be needing me. That's how it goes when you're only a temp....but nonetheless I was out of work and a next paycheck.
So Monday morning I called my temp. agency for a new assignment...they didn't have anything for me, nor did they on the next two days. So Wednesday morning I went to a different, bigger temp agency (thanks to Alicia!) and did the usual job hunt routine: fill out paperwork, few computer tests, watched a video, and fill out more paperwork.
Later that day I got a call from my account executive. She found work for me...only a 2 week assignment, but it's two paychecks more than what I'd be getting otherwise so, of course I take it! They tell me that I'll be organizing a bunch of paperwork for a realtor at Re-Max.
Next thing I knew I was sorting receipts, insurance paperwork, check stubs, bank statements, medical bills, car bills, credit card bills, and any other sort of important document that you could think of for my new supervisor. I have access to her whole life for the past 3 years! Crazy! I unfortunately know way too much about this lady and her family....2006 beauty queen, two kids, her age, her favorites palces to eat and shop, what kind of makeup she wears, how much her cell phone bill is each month, etc. I....the professional organizer (haha!)...do my job, apparently helping this lady with her taxes that she hadn't turned in in the past 3 years, while she takes care of finding a private detective to spy on her husband because they are going through a nasty divorce, calling both of her kids' schools to make sure they were there, making appoinments to get a drug and alcohol test done to have proof that she's not abusing either. Ahhhh...just the normal life of a temp...haha!
When you think about it, is it crazier to have a complete stranger do this sort of thing for you or someone you know?

Back in the STL

We were able to go home for the holidays! it was so good to be back with family and friends....here's some pics:

The family getting to open some gifts:

Our good friend Tommy had a concert at Mississippi Nights with his band Marquette Weekend while we were home:

New Year's Eve we hung out with my family and brought the new year in at a bowling alley....it was fun, but I was pooped when the clock struck 12. I feel like I'm getting old already!

Got to hang out with our good friends Brennan and Nat....they're engaged and will be getting married on June 23rd. So exctied for them! We went ice skating at Steinberg down at Forest Park:
Emily came in town to visit for an afternoon! I love you EM!!!

Christmas at Pismo

Yep...we spent our first Christmas on the beach, Pismo Beach to be exact. It was relaxing and fun, but it didn't feel like Christmas without family. We got to go home on the 27th of Dec. though so we had something to look forward to. We stayed in a little cottage inn right next to the ocean. It was real cute, had a great breakfast buffet, and there was a fireplace in our room too!
I love the beach and will def. miss it when we move to Louisville! In the meantime I'll take advantage of every time I talk Braden into taking me to the beach...any beach. : )

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Now that I'm a "grown-up" an "adult" or whatever you call us married people that don't have kids yet...I believe that the holiday we call "Christmas" is more like an evil game. Some people have mastered the art of re-gifting, some use their annual Christmas cards to brag about things like how well their business is doing or how one of the kids got all A's this year, and others have gone so far as to buy $30 gifts for a gift exchange that only had a limit of $3! Another thing, 4 words: Day After Thanksgiving Sale. It's madness and adults go over the edge every time. No wonder people get so stressed out during the Christmas season, it's because they are too worried whether this person will like their gift, or if they spent enough money on that person. It's all a show. Then there's that phrase that it's the time to give and not receive....well, have you ever been to a gift exchange where you play the game "Rob You Neighbor"? That game was invented for stingy people!

I guess I didn't notice all this drama when I was a kid. I was quite oblivious to how much time, energy, and MONEY that goes into this Holiday. But nonetheless I still love Christmas with all it's festivities and awkward moments.

My favorite part of the holidays has nothing to do with gifts...I love the carols, the cookies, the lights, and especially the PARTIES! Braden and I have already been to 3 this year. Here are some pictures:
Formal Christmas party with my work at the Pasadena Hilton. It was a lot of fun...and we danced the night away! The group at Kurt and Kellie's 2nd annual Christmas party! Great food, fun games!

Lake Arrowhead

Last weekend Braden and I went to our Kurt and Kellie's cabin (actually Kurt's family's cabin) in Crestline near Lake Arrowhead. Here's a picture of the cabin:Altogether there were 3 couples, Dan and Delaine, Kurt and Kellie, and Braden and I. The rest were Dawn, Melissa, and Jenna, and Mark. Here's a picture of all of us:
We left Friday night after dinner and all piled in our car and Kurt and Kellie's SUV. The ride there was a little scary...like the time my dad drove my family up Pike's Peak in Colorado on road that barely fit two cars...in our 15 passenger van...yeah anyway, so it was a very windy road up the mountain, but we made it safely. When we got there we took all our bags and things inside, had a tour of the cabin, and then it was time for the battle of the beds! There was one queen size bed upstairs, one downstairs, and two futons. To see who got to sleep on the beds we played a game called "four men on a couch". It's sort of a memory game...it was really fun, but it would take too long to explain how to play. Anyways, we got the futon, which is way better than the floor! haha! We all ended up watching (or fell asleep to) the animated movie called "Monster House". It sucked.
The next morning we all woke up and went to a little breakfast place called "The Loose Caboose". It was amazing! Dan got this omelet concoction that had everything you could imagine in it and it was as big as his plate....he ate the whole thing! Go Dan! Braden and I both got pancakes, eggs, bacon/sausage...it was so yummy! After that we took a walk around part of Lake Arrowhead. Kurt brought his frisbees and we played some disc golf, making trashcans and large trees the targets as we ventured around the lake. Here's some pictures:
We also did some shopping at a nearby outlet center. That nights we ordered pizzas for dinner and played a board game, cards, darts, etc. It was great fun and it was great getting to know everyone that came. When we got back Sunday afternoon Braden and I were dead tired. Back to reality though! haha!

Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for Thanksgiving! Here's why:

Getty Art Museum

Over the weekend Braden, Thomas, and I went to the Getty Art Museum. I'm not the type that would go to an art museum in my spare time...but this one seemed like it would be interesting. First of all, because you park in an underground parking garage and then take a tram up the side of a mountain that sits right next to the 405 and overlooks the city of Los Angeles. It looked pretty sweet and if nothing else I could get some cool pictures...turns out that it was pretty neat. The art with all the various paintings, photographs, sculptures, etc. were all very interesting and I actually read alot of the descriptions that went with each of them.

What interested me the most was the gardens...first the cactus garden that looks over a sweet view of LA:

And then my very favorite the Central Garden:

We spent about 3 hours at the art museum and then went to the Sherman Oaks Galleria for food. There was a huge Christmas tree and I made Braden take my picture...but I can't post it for some reason, believe me it was the most Christmasy Christmas tree ever!

The day was grand...wish you coulda joined us...

Flowers, Harleys, and Pasta

My husband is the greatest! I just thought that everyone should know! haha!

Friday night when I got home from a long day at work he had dinner made (my favorite pasta!), flowers, and a funny/cute poem he wrote. He's pretty much the best husband ever...he is taking 18 units at college, does homework 'til all hours of the night at times, wakes up at 4:30 in the morning three days a week to go to work, AND still has time to treat me like a princess! He's the best for me!

Living with Seniors (Senior Citizens that is)

Last night was the Thanksgiving potluck dinner at the Canyon Club Senior Apartments where Braden and I currently live. It was interesting, to say the least. But, I must admit that it was kinda fun too. We met some friends there (Kurt and Kellie) when it started. Kurt and Kellie were the only other young people there besides us and a little girl about 10 or so who was probably someone's great great granddaughter....just kidding!
Anyways, so I'm sure you're dying to hear how the rest of the night went right? Well, let me tell you...we get there and drop off our yummy green bean casserole (which Braden made, I might add) and are told to help ourselves to drinks...soda, bottled water, wine. I go over to the soda and start pouring drinks for Braden and I. Kurt then walks over and warns us to check the date on the bottle...yeah the orange soda we were about to drink was from 2002. Yuck! You see, Kurt has the awesome priveledge to work for the apartment complex as a maintenance guy a few hours a week....so he knows these old people. I'm so glad he was there to stop us from a potential disaster. haha!
Not long after that we found seats and a drawing began for a fleece blanket, stuffed animal, coffee maker, etc.....we didn't know about it so after they drew the first person's name Kurt got up and made them stop the drawing so he could add all of our names to the hat. Normally, that would probably be an inappropriate thing to do, but it's Kurt, so it's okay.
So then they drew the next person's name....Daniel's name was drawn. Daniel is a cute little old man that I have actually seen walking around the complex before. But after they announced his name, Kurt started cheering for him big time and chanted "Daniel! Daniel! Daniel!"...I think maybe the old people like Kurt because they can actually hear what he is saying because he is so loud....but I'm not sure.
Finally dinner came...let me pause a minute to give you a helpful hint for potluck dinners: Generally, only eat food that you and your friends brought...otherwise you are on your own for the unknowns.
Pumpkin pie that was clearly store bought concluded the evening and all were happy.
The end.

Panera rocks!

I love free wireless internet!
And I love free muffins!