I like my modem well done, make it extra well done.

Our internet modem blew out from a lightening storm last week, which led us to no internet. Actually, we still have no internet. I'm using one of my neighbors internet access, don't know which neighb exactly, all I know is that I have to sit in our office to get it. Found that out today. Woot.

We get wild summer storms quite often here. When mom and dad were here two weeks ago we got hit hard with a rainstorm. They come and go pretty quick as well. This past week was different, the lightening was right over our house. It must have struck our electric poll because while we were getting dinner ingredients out of the fridge that light made a noise and flickered, then we heard the POOF of our modem blowing out. Of course Lauren and I screamed, and legitimately for the first time in my life I was scared of a lightening storm. We ran down stairs and hung out there for awhile. Leaving Zach and his friend to finish cooking dinner, I was fearful that if I touched even a metal utensil that I would be toast, literally. All during this time Zach's old mission companion was visiting with us. Elder Schmidt is in Utah for two months visiting from Germany. It was great to meet yet another best friend of Zach's. These guys shared so many stories and laughs together. They learned a lot from each other serving in the field and I can tell that they appreciate one another just as much. I was thankful that the storm had past, but bummed that our internet was a goner. That meant Lauren would be spending time at the local McDonald's doing her homework with their free internet access, and Zach and I would be postponed to finish Prison Break. (the show that we don't care about anymore because it's become lame, but we watch it to see how it ends)

  

All the fun that went down this week involved my time when I was not working. I worked a fifty hour week, you know it! Both Marriott and Five Guys this time around, and even more of it next week. That didn't stop me from having a good time this weekend though. On Friday I waited around for Zach to get home from work, which may I add, he went from part time to full time. That's my boy! He is awesome. Hard work does pay off people, just do it -Nike. Because of his new hours Zach is working long days. So Friday night I waited for what seemed like ever until he pulled up in his little tin can, and then we decided to have a....a what? a date night! We don't get out too too much, so we decided that he wanted a burger and I wanted frozen yogurt and then we'd come to an agreement and go to the dollar theater. What a fantastic idea it is to have a dollar theater. Our movie date was a woppin' $2.30ish. It was legit. And the theater wasn't a dump either. We will be going there often, because we can afford to treat ourselves to an estimated $3 date night.

 It was one of those times where you don't count your calories... 

Saturday was eventful. Zach and I went for a run in the morning after an ab workout. Lauren bought a really nice road bike two weeks ago, I mean it's a real pretty thing, she rode ahead of us then became our water girl and DJ on the way back. After our workouts we cleaned up the house while listening to the Pitch Perfect sound track, ah-mah-zing. we decluttered our living room and while we were sitting in there straightening up I remembered a piece of furniture that I saw at an antique shop about a month ago.

So short story about that...Once upon a time while my mom was here weeks back she and Zach went to an consignment shop and scrolled around for a bit. My mom and Zach thought of me and how much I would love it there. Zach I'm sure begged my mom to not tell me about it, but she did. I then went a few days later, by myself, and I fell in love. I found an old chest that had been refinished in a coral color. It was wooden, and was a trunk/shelf. It's hard to explain but I really loved it. I took pictures of it and got the price, which was way out of our budget, and went home to show Zach. He didn't ohh and ahh over it like I had hoped, so I really tried to persuade him on getting it. Probably thirty minutes later after I was wining and telling him that it would look beautiful in our living room he made a deal with me. A lame one I might add. Zach told me that if it was there in three months then I could buy it. I didn't like that idea, because usually you don't let a piece like that get out of your sight if you love it. I was obviously serious about it. But because I respect my husband's judgement I made the deal. In all reality we really couldn't afford it, but that didn't stop me from trying anyways.

Maybe a week went by and I went back to the shop to show Zach the chest, he liked it and told me if I could get them to go down to a certain price then we could walk out with it. Well unfortunately for me they had already gone down from the original price because it had been there for so long, so we didn't go home with it and welcome it with open arms into our family. My husband told me to trust that it would still be there and we would look into it when the three months was up. So now going back to yesterday, I was sitting with Lauren and Zach in our living room talking about finishing our decorating and putting more time into the house. And then I mentioned the chest again. Zach thought I had forgotten about it, but of course I didn't. By now we are better off with our budgeting and we both have been working loads of hours, so we can afford it. He actually said we can get it. I was so so excited. I called the shop right away and asked them to check to see if it's still there. The lady wasn't sure at first if we were talking about the same piece, but then we decided that it was the one and unfortunately it's time had expired and it was given back to the owner that had brought it there. Seriously? I was so bummed. I asked if she knew who the guy was, she of course couldn't give me that info but she offered to give him a call herself and if she heard back from him then she would let me know within two days. So in the meantime the three of us went out for lunch and ran some errands, to target and the bank. I asked if we could go to the consignment shop to see if maybe she had the wrong item, so we went and she was right, it was gone.

 I asked the worker, it was the girl I had conversed with earlier, she got a hold of the guy and he said he dropped it off at a shop downtown called Emily something. We googled it and found Emily Jayne in SLC. So I called and asked the lady and she/we found it! She said she would hold it for me. We then booked it to the next shop and there she was (my chest) outside beaming in the sun ready to go home. I was so happy. We shoved it into Lauren's car, Zach was still able to fit in his seat, and we took it home. It's so pretty! All that trouble to hunt down an old, come to find out, radio stand. I was thrilled. It cost more then the other place had it for and it was in downtown, but I didn't care at that point. Zach probably thinks I'm a loony? Or maybe he finds me to be obsessed? but it is a beauty. After that stop we went to Ikea, and well you know what happens there.

Zach was our chauffeur while in Target...we had a BIG lunch, just sayin.

All the joys of our Saturday. Also known as the day I almost lost my mind from being all over town for hours. No complaints, just facts.

Today Zach and I attended church and taught our little munchkins a lesson. We sat outside under a tree on one of our blankets my mom made for me years back. The kids loved it. We did an attention lesson that involved vinegar and baking soda, brought me back to my middle school science years. They thought it was cool, Zach did the experiment the first time through then let one of the girls do it the second time. Teaching them that no matter who does the experiment it will always be the same, it's a constant. Much like the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We then proceeded to teach them about Saints back in the 1800's being so obedient to God's commandments when they were going through difficult times. They sacrificed more then I ever have and probably will, and they lived completely by faith. I admire and am thankful for the Saints that were brave enough to follow the prophet and obey God. I love being able to share my testimony with the children as well. Today our lesson was ended short because it was one of our girls birthdays. Going back to when we first met them we had a questionnaire for each of them so that we could understand who they were a little bit better. We found out simple things, like their favorite color and favorite treats. Abigail's birthday is tomorrow so we looked up her answers and dressed in her favorite color teal, and we made her favorite treat. Of course it was a difficult task to do the treat part. Her favorite treat is ice cream. So in my head I instantly thought of ice cream sandwiches, vanilla ice cream smashed in between our homemade chocolate chip cookies. Duh, delicious. So that's what we did. Zach carried a little igloo cooler to church to put into the freezer, come to find that the kitchen was locked, he walked back home to put them back. After first hour was up he walked back again to grab them, he's the best. The kids loved the treats and it was a success. I love making treats with Zach, but mostly just eating them.

Here's my Betty in the kitchen..







I hope to get our internet up and running again...let's go modem. Until then, everyone enjoy your Sunday night and remember that you are loved.