Rachies Graduation + Family

Rachel graduated from BYU-Idaho 2 weeks ago with her bachelors degree in journalism! It's been so nice having her in Idaho and although we are sad to see her go, we are really proud of her! I always get so excited for people to graduate from college. It's a big accomplishment and worth every minute and penny!

It was fun to have family in town. We went to frozen custard with my Dad (both his + my favorite), sat around and talked, and my Mom put Marlo to bed each night - which was so awesome because Marlo went down so easy for her. Often I find myself coveting people who have their family in town and Sunday dinners and all that support and babysitters - then I remember I DO have that! My parents visit us more than we visit them, and then I have siblings here. I feel pretty blessed.

Marlo has a fascination with Uncle Zach. She just stares at him when he plays with her, ha! So cute. 

Marlo and Great-Grandy. He is one of the best men I know and I am grateful to call him my "Grandy"!

He's Graduated!

 

 So proud of my guy.

Check out the vlog!

Our New Roommate

Did we mention we have a new roommate? Cause we do! My baby sister, Caitlin, moved in with us 3 weeks go.

She just started online classes at BYU-Idaho and was too late to get housing so she is living with us till December and then she will move to Rexburg in January. My mom brought her up and so I had a week with her and it was a blast! We shopped, ate out, she cleaned my house, and used my sewing machine more than I did. She is the bomb. Seriously the hardest working woman I have ever known. We loved having her here and wouldn't mind adding her as a roommate ;)

(Photos from 4th of July when they last visited)

It's been fun having Caitlin living here! Nephi works nights so Caitlin and I usually go shopping, go to the gym, craft or watch Biggest Loser (We are obsessed. Netflix is heaven-sent). We also already went on a double-date and had a blast! We will see if they go out again....She got a job at Sam's Club and is taking 12 credits so she is a busy lady as well!

Since she moved in I wanted to make sure I had her room done so I had to clear out that room and that was a lot of work. I finished up the desk I was painting and still have a few things to wrap up in that room before I post pictures. I still need to do a house tour and that will happen soon. Promise.

Welcome, Cait! Happy to have you here!

The Vlogs

This is Nephi. Once in a while I post something. Today I'm posting our most recent vlogs from YouTube. You can subscribe to the YouTube channel if you want. Enjoy.

It never ends!

It seriously never ends.

We have been so busy with graduation, Christmas, new job and family! It's a good busy, but it is still busy. Hopefully tonight I can post about graduation and my new job.

Stay tuned.

Did I mention we believe in miracles?

Did I mention we believe in miracles? Because we do.

The last few weeks as I have hit the job hunt harder than ever, and I have been struggling. Nephi and I hardly sleep because we talk about how we are going to figure everything out and I cry a lot and he listens and I can hardly focus on my school work and job. Nephi has stayed strong and consistent the whole time. I cannot say the same thing for myself.

While on my mission, I had a similar (but different) experience. The feeling of lack of faith, inadequacy and heartache feel the exact same and I will never forget it. As I have been feeling these same feelings, like I have been dealt a bad hand, I have been reflecting upon this experience, a lot. The best part, I got through that experience and it completely changed my mission and dare I say my life. I believe this experience will do the same.

After applying for several jobs with no call backs or strong leads going through--I finally had a great interview on Friday. About 4 months ago I had a few interviews with different companies that we very interested in me but I couldn't start till December. Now, I finally had an interview where I could say that I am available. (Timing is everything, btw.)

On Friday I interviewed with a Hospice in Idaho Falls. The position is for a volunteer coordinator who works in the community recruiting, training, planning events and doing some PR and marketing. It would be an excellent job working with people who are interested in serving people who are in the last few months or days of living. The interview went so well and I was invited back for a second interview on Monday.

It doesn't stop there...My friend and I were talking the other night and she told me she knew a recruiter for a very good company in Idaho Falls. She emailed him and helped me and him connect and within 24 hours, we set up an appointment to meet on Monday as well for a meeting. This is not an interview but I am meeting with a recruiter and he did ask to see my writing samples so this is a good thing.

Guess what...IT DOESN'T STOP THERE! (Excuse my all-caps obnoxiousness.) On Friday at 4 PM, I got a phone call from an random 208 number. Those intrigue me the most so I answered and guess what...it was another company asking me to come and interview on Monday! This was a very satisfying call because this company was interested in me 4 months ago and when I tried to contact them a month ago they went all M.I.A on me and I was very upset by it. But, they came crawling back and I couldn't be happier :)

Moral of the story: Have faith, and works, but don't forget about the faith. Listen to your husband. Humble yourself and ask people to pray for you. Fast and pray, fast and pray. Never ever give up.

We feel so blessed to have these opportunities on Monday and I feel incredibly vulnerable because they could all not go through but regardless, the Lord is on my side and we are in good hands.

He's A Quarter of a Century

On Sunday, we threw a little birthday bash for Phe-Phi (fee-fi). I decided to make the theme "Quarter of a Century". A hour before the party started, my oven literally exploded! I was throwing in some dinner for Nephi and I and his parents so we could eat before the party and I had water boiling and the oven on and then I heard this huge noise. It was almost like a radio frequency sound but very very loud and it kept going. I was standing at the counter, right in front of the oven, so I looked to the side and then turned around and saw the oven and it was NEON orange!!! I screamed and it started sparking so I ran out of the kitchen and started yelling Nephi's name and he was vacuuming so he threw down the vacuum and ran over. He turned off the oven, avoiding the sparks, and opened the oven. Smoke came out as he opened it but it was not on fire. The element inside of the oven exploded! Here is what it looked like...

I was freaking out because I was running behind and I have to use the oven to cook the brownie's, apple crisp and meatballs! I called our landlord, who is awesome, and she reminded us that we could use the upstairs oven because it is currently vacant. So, I used upstairs oven which was awesome because I didn't have to cook in our apartment and make it smell. It put me a little behind and but we ended up getting everything done just in time, thanks to my good friends Jordan and J who saved me! They are amazing.

So, here are some pictures from the party! (They are not edited and I took them with my simple point and shoot camera so they aren't the best.)

Appetizers: Turkey Meatballs, Cheesy Bean Dip with Tortilla Chips, Veggies and Dip and Wheat Tortilla Roll-ups (chive cream cheese and swiss cheese).

Desserts: Homemade Hot Chocolate and dipping sticks, Apple Crisp, Cream Puffs, Brownie Bites with whipped cream and raspberries and cookies that a friend brought.

I made this cute sign and put it next to our piggy bank! Notice all the nasty dishes in the sink? Tacky? Nah. 

These turkey meatballs were a hit! They went so fast...I should have made more!

We don't have a lot of space to sit so we set up chairs around the room and put a football game on and that kept people entertained. 

We ended up having a lot of people show up! It was really fun.

We got a little ghetto with the hanging quarters and used dental floss. It was creative, right?

So that was the party! I am really glad we did it on a Sunday and basically our apartment still looks the same because we haven't cleaned a thing since. Good thing I am done with classes this afternoon!

Tonight for Nephi's birthday we are going to dinner (after I take and 'pass' my econ exam) and then coming home and eating cake, opening presents and then the greatest gift, sleeping in Wednesday morning :)

Writing a dang paper

I can't focus right now. I have a paper due tomorrow and an econ exam and I am surfing the net, blogs and facebook. Seriously kill me.

I am going to spend 20 more minutes writing this dang editorial on going green and then I am turning it in.

PS-Nephi's birthday is tomorrow and I can't wait! Today kind of blew (just one of those everything is bad and I wish I had a magic wand sort of days) so I am  just hoping that tomorrow will be great and that our Thanksgiving vacation will finally start.

First job offer

So, I got my first job offer...and guess what I said??

NO.

Yeah, I know. It's weird. But, turns out it is not what I thought it was going to be. Nephi and I calculated how much I would need to make in order to make it worth it for me to commute to Idaho Falls for work. There were a lot of factors we considered and felt like we had adequately weighed all our options. So, we decided 'our number' and fasted, prayed, cried (well, I cried, he listened) and went forward with faith.

Well...today I went for my final interview with the company and let's just say, it was a joke. They offered me HALF of our minimum that we could live at AND, she said multiple times, "I don't want to promise you anything..." What kind of job!? --I realize that sounds harsh. I don't mean it. I was just shocked, kinda. But, grateful for a strong answer. I didn't say no on the spot. I told her I could call her tomorrow like a professional would.

It may seem crazy that we turned down a job, but, I know it's not for me if that is the pay and it's not even going to be stable. In 4 weeks, I will have a stinken college degree, an amazing internship and experience like no other--I couldn't settle. And the only reason I say that is because I have some other possible options that I know will not only pay more, but be a better springboard to my future career and financial goals.


We're in Idaho and we don't need much but we do need to be reasonable people.

Oh yeah, this blog...

Lately I have been blogging more on my other blog because it is a school assignment. I am suppose to blog there twice a week! It's going to be more business related content but I will mix it up and I need readers to help me know what people want to read!

So, check out my last few posts and tell me what you think! (Be sure to follow me there as well.)

Thankkkkks. :)

Marketing Miss Mallory

Faith in the Human Race

Do you ever have those days where you suddenly have faith in the human race? Today was one of those days for me...

• People have good intentions
• There are job openings for those with open eyes
• Desire can really get you where you want to go
• We are in good hands--the Lord is aware of us
• I have such a thoughtful husband
• I am not a crazy person and people agree with me
• Women are excellent advocates in the business world
• The Church is so smart
• There are many great men out there
• People can inspire you
• BYU-Idaho is an incredible institutional 

That's it. I am satisfied.