Married with Chickens

I have never had chickens before.  Karsten has never had chickens before.  This was an experiment.  We learned everything we know now through friends, the internet, and "Raising Chickens for Dummies".  So when a problem came up, we panicked just a bit.

This is what Karsten woke up to one morning.  Looks like she's dead, right.  Wrong.  Her neck is completely twisted around and in between her legs, but she is still alive.  Even after Karsten gave up and said she wasn't going to last much longer.  We quarantined her then I did my research.  At first, we were scared it was New Castles (which is fatal and contagious) but then we found it was more similar to crook neck.  The cure was a vitamin B supplement so I booked it to the pharmacy and slowly nursing my little chick back to health.

I'm going to make a great nurse. :-)

We have also began our plans for a chicken coop.  This is the one I like.

It's from a chicken blog I found on pinterest.  The couple who built it said they spent over $1000.  Karsten and I are planning on doing it for a couple 100.  Stay tuned for more on chickens...

Married in the Winter- Misc.

It would be hard to get through these long winter months and this semester if you didn't have a few projects.  

Of course I had to start with my new embroidery machine.  My first project was personalizing Jack's bed.  Even though he can't read it, I'm sure he enjoys it.

Next I tried to combine my sewing skills and my embroidery skills.  So I decided to make this apron to match my new recipe box.

Next, I found a flag similar to this one hanging in a house of a tv show Karsten and I were watching.  I decided our house needs to be patriotic like that.  So I went to Michael's, bought 13 strips of wood about 1 inch wide and I painted each one.  My star stencil didn't work so I had to paint the stars by hand and try and get them to match as best as I could.  Then I hot glued the strips to vertical strips with small gaps in between.  Then I stapled the wire to the back to hang.

Of course, Karsten had some projects of his own.  He is working on creating his own army.

Married in the Winter-Birthday

21.  How does someone who doesn't drink or gamble celebrate their 21st birthday??  Well, alcohol and slot machines aren't the only new legal thing I have acquired as of February 9th, 2012.  I am now legally able to own and carry my very own hand gun.  We spent the day shopping online and in gun stores, however, we couldn't decide on one.  SoOo, until I decide which one, I will just have to play with my other birhday presents.

This was a recipe box my mom got me from william-sonoma.  I desperately needed one since all of my recipe cards were scattered EVERYWHERE.

My sweet husband got me this.  It was a steal on Amazon.  I will now have to read the textbook-manual to figure out how to use it.

Among these, I was given home decorations, a sweater knitting machine (also complicated), books, and the least of which, I got..........

 Meet my chickens. :-)

They'll stay inside with us until they are 8 weeks.  Then we'll put them in a coop.  They will give us eggs and hopefully, a little love.

Married in the Winter- New Years

We are stuck.  We are stuck in our married hermit life.. and we LOVE it!  We have hardly done anything exciting.  No vacations.  No special events.  Nothing really worth writing about if it weren't for holidays.

NEW YEARS
We spent New Years as part of the second of a new tradition: games with Karsten's family and friends, and fireworks on a random staircase off valley view.

As it was, we had bad luck and hit every red light on the way to Valley View and for some reason the radio didn't do a countdown so.. we missed New Years.  We at least pulled over and got our kiss and drank a little Martinellis before hitting up the fireworks.

I was also able to make my resolution:

-Less TV, more reading

-Work on year supply of food

-1 service project a month

-1 conference talk a week

-1 hour of indexing a week

-1 temple session a month

-Get CCW

-Learn how to quilt, knit sweaters, sew clothes

-Begin nursing program

Married in the Winter- Shows

Okay, Maybe we would be really stuck if it weren't for generous family members who take us to see shows with them too.

LION KING

Crazy costumes, excellent singing, barely fell asleep one time.  Success!

TRANSIBERIAN ORCHESTRA

Amazing.. the whole show is a must see.  

The violinist... wow.

The lights... induced seizures.  

The fire... practically felt the flames.

The box seats... felt like a VIP.

Watch this.. you can have the experience too.. from the poor quality of my digital camera. 

Meet Jack

I am a dog person.  I love big protective, loving dogs.  Having a big dog that you raised from a puppy is like the big burly friend you always wanted around.  They let you squeeze them like a teddy bear even though they can crush you or anyone around you like a bug.  To convince Karsten that our family could use one of these furry creatures was one of my greatest challenges yet.  However, after weeks of research and persuasion and my eyes locked on the perfect litter, my dear sweet husband caved to my Christmas request.  On December 17th, Karsten and I drove to Bakersfield, California up a canyon to a 20-acre horse ranch where a group of labrador retriever puppies were waiting for a home.

We picked him.

Jack is a sweet 11-week-old puppy.  He was the cuddler out of the litter and his favorite sibling was his one sister.  He takes naps like a baby and will sleep in the most awkward positions.  

He was potty trained in less than a week and learned how to sit and lay his first full day with us.  He has not only grown accustomed to living with our little family but has become a part of it.

Karsten can't wait until he comes a big hunting dog so he can take him out on trips.  I can wait for that day.  Even though I love big dogs, you can't really beat when that little face looks up at you then falls asleep in your arms.

Married at Christmas

Christmas is just one of those holidays that is just as good a month or two before the actual day. I am one of those early Christmas people.  Karsten tried to keep me from watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas songs until after Thanksgiving.  Poor guy.  The songs and movies came on early November however, the activities didn't begin until Karsten was ready for them.  I found that to be a good compromise.

We kicked off the holidays with building gingerbread houses.

Karsten and I are particularly proud of our garage, porch, and garden in the back.  We don't mess around.

On another lovely December weekend, we decided to drive up to Cedar City, Utah and get our Christmas tree the old fashion way.  Bundled up with an ax in our hands, we trudged the deep Utah snow in hopes for the perfect Christmas tree. Once my toes, hands, nose, cheeks, and ears were sufficiently numb we began to walk back to the car empty handed.  I turned and looked at Karsten and said that we came here for a tree and we weren't leaving without a tree.  So, on the way back Karsten picked out the most descent-looking tree we could find.  I was a little skeptical at  first, but it turned out to be pretty great!

In keeping with my new found desire to make everything myself, I decided to proceed with Christmas decorations.  I was planning on making our Christmas stockings this year.  Karsten having grown up with a specific stocking insisted on them being knitted.  So.. I went to JoAnn's and hit up YouTube.

The red one is Karsten's and the unfinished green one is mine.

And now, the countdown is on.  Christmas is coming and we can't wait!