Friday, January 30, 2009

Promised Pictures


I leave tonight for Portland to see Steven and Ceci get married tomorrow at the Portland Temple! I'm really excited, here is a picture of the two of them....
They are so cute together, I love hearing about them planning their wedding, because they aren't really stressed, they are both just happy and easygoing. 1 day to go!

This are a couple pictures of Rachael, the little girl I watch. Below is her older sister Morgan I also watch.










Portland, Oregon here I come!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

The joys of babies

I have been working with the Raether family for a month now, three days a week. They have two little girls. Morgan, who is 21 months old, and Rachael, who is 5 months old. Rachael has downs syndrome but as of right now she is jut like every 5 month old, happy and adorable. The Raethers are really really nice, and extremely easy going, so that makes for a good nanny/ employer situation. I feel good about it like I did with the Komineks. Gail is a Dentist, and Pete works for Smart Water. When I interviewed for the job it seemed really nice, and they offered me $15 an hour. They had said the pay was 15 to 20 based on experience, and I have TONS of experience. When the offered the job they said the wanted to start paying where their last nanny was being paid and that was 15. I was a little disappointed because I thought I had the experience to be worth more, as they had said...but I was so desperate for a job that I accepted anyway.

The first few days of work were pretty good, its always a little difficult getting used to a new job. I got "trained" by Gail's mom, but she doesnt usually work here in this house on the days that I dont work..she takes the girls to her house. So she wasnt quite sure about how a lot of things are done here. It seemed pretty easy, a lot like watching Kelsey and Morgan. I caught on really quickly. The second day of being alone, I was walking down the stair holding Morgan, and their stairs are really narrow, I was wearing socks and...SLIP!!! I hugged Morgan so I wouldn't drop her, but since I was holding onto her I couldn't grab the railing so I fell down about 5 stairs on my bum. It was SO painful. My tailbone felt like someone whacked me with a sledgehammer over and over. My eyes started watering, I made sure that Morgan was okay, then I grabbed my backside and held back a scream of pain. OUCH! My vision got all blurry as the pain got worse, and then i got a huge headache. I went to go sit on the couch, and it was as if i got punched again, I should have guessed sitting would hurt. My mom said she broke her tailbone before, so I called her to tell her what happened. She let me know that it took a year for her tailbone to stop hurting. A year?! I dont have a year. I plan on getting married this year, and I would like to enjoy my honeymoon ;) sorry....kinda. I'm serious though.

So I sat carefully and walked carefully and stopped running for a while because my tailbone hurt so bad, but slowly it got better. It still hurts when I am sitting and rock backwards, but its not unbearable. I gie it another month and I'll be fine. I think my mom must have broken hers, and I just bruised mine. Thank goodness!

Now that my backside is feeling almost pain free, work has been a lot better. I get a little sick of being in this house, so today when the girls wake up from their naps I think I will take them to walmart or the mall or something. Just to get out of the house, for them and for me. Getting out might almost be worth getting shoes and socks and jackets and diaperbags and bottles and car seats and everything ready to leave. Haha Oh kids, what fun!

So after Morgan went down for her nap today I was holding Rachael, and she was really gassy. After she let a few fly she smelled horrible and her diaper was wet. I took her upstair to change her diaper, and usually she is just gassy, I looked and i was right, just wet. I set her on her parents bed, and grabbed the diaper and wipes. I took her diaper off and rolled it up and went to wipe her cute litle bum and EXPLOSION!!!!!!!! she pooped EVERYWHERE all over her parents nice duvet. Crap! Literally! I panicked grabbed another diaper, some wipes and quickly stripped Rachael wiped her clean put a new diaper on her and some clean clothes. I took her downstairs and put her in her exersaucer. Then I went back up to try and figure out what to do about the baby poop volcano that just went off all over all the nice stuff in that room. I grabbed everything poopy, stripped the bed and took it down to the laundry room. Put everything in water with OXYCLEAN----amazing stuff---- and let it soak. Now I have to go wash the duvet dry it and get it back on their King size bed, hoping its not stained.


I LOVE MY JOB, right?



Luckily I get paid today. I have some people I am going to send some money to for various things, and then I can save save save!!!!!


Lucas and I aren't officially engaged yet, but its coming. We talk about it all the time, and we even went and looked at our friends, the Merklings, house. They have a Beautiful home in Larkspur, Colorado where Lucas and I decided to have or wedding reception. Mark is cooking the food for us, so its really nice that their house is perfect for a reception too. We hired my mom's friend Lynette to do the decorating flowers and arranging for the reception. Now I just need a dress, a ring, a cake, and thousands of dollars!


I know that Lucas is going to propose, but I dont know when or how. I told him that since we have been so open about it, that I'll be expecting it to be coming. If he is going to surprise me, he's going to have to be sneaky. I cant wait! I love surprises!

I love him. I leave tomorrow for Oregon to see Steven and Ceci get married. I'm really excited!!!! What year! Ceci is adorable and seems really excited, If I can figure out how to link to other peoples blogs I will link to thiers. I'll post pictures of their reception later.

Also, i finally finished reading the Book of Mormon cover to cover. It took me about a month and a half, but I finished it. What an amazing book, full of so much truth and lessons. My life has been so blessed by reading it and following the lessons its teaches. What a great thing it is to be a member of the church!


Aloha! (sad day, I miss Hawaii! Honeymoon?)

Friday, January 23, 2009

Ups and Downs

Well Life has been pretty crazy, and I've been way behind on this blog. I'll just do a quick update and try and add pictures.

Well, Jamie and I had a falling out. We dont talk anymore, which is really hard for me. I dont want to go into detail, but I'll say that my riding the tour bus didn't go over too well with Jamie or his family. Once that blew over things were said and done that really hurt our relationship. We called it quits. We have talked a few times since, but not often. I miss him very much, breakups are so hard! Its hard to have someone go from being a huge part of your life, to someone you dont even talk to. Thats all I want to say about that, but i wish for the best for him in his life and always hope for his happiness.

After the tour bus incident I became very good friends with Carlos via cell phone. We talked almost every night for a few hours. We talked about EVERYTHING and just became really good friends. We planned on hanging out again, and once the tour ended he bought me a ticket to Texas to visit him. I was packed and ready to go, and my dad called me and told me he didn't want me to go. I was really upset, but decided to listen to my dad and cancelled my ticket. Carlos and I were disappointed but we both figure that everything happens for a reason, and there must be a reason that I wasn't meant to go see him. We still talked all the time for a few days.

At the same time I started hanging out with a guy from my ward at church, Lucas Taylor. My friend really liked him, and I had seen him before and always thought he was cute but never said anything because my friend liked him. One day we were playing volleyball, and I got up to serve and he said "If you mess up I'm going to punch you in the neck." It was hilarious, and I had an instant crush on him! What a hilarious thing to say. the neck?! Hah! Well, Lucas asked me to go to a place called "Which Wich" a sandwich shop here. I had never been there so I told im I would go. I had decided to give him the "friend vibe" since my friend liked him, and since I was still really heart damaged from the way things ended with Jamie. We went to get sandwiches and ended up having a GREAT time. Afterwards we went to his house and played pool, which is a hilarious game to play if you are in a "thats what she said" mood. haha. Ew, stop it.

So that night Lucas asked me if I would go out with him again that Saturday. I told him I would let him know. I talked to my friend the next day and told her about it, she told me she was sad, but that I should go out with him. What a great friend!!! So I told Lucas yes, and we went out. Things went really well, and that night we held hands while we watched a movie at his house. He was so respectful and kind, I couldn't believe it! Also SO attractive.

Lucas and I hung out every night for a month and a half pretty much. The more we talked the more I started falling for him. He is exactly what I want. He is what I need spiritually, and his personality matches mine perfectly. I am so content and happy with him, it only took about two weeks and I knew he was what I wanted. I didn't want to say anything too soon, to let him know I was falling for him and freak him out. But one night, we were sitting around and Lucas said "I like you." and I said "I like you more" and he said "prove it" and I said "I love you." WORD VOMIT!!! I was so embarrassed that it just popped out like that, but then Lucas looked at me, smiled and said "I love you too, Amber, I really do" I was so happy. We just cuddled forever, and when I left there was a rose by the door that he had bought for me earlier that day. SO CUTE!!!!! Can this be real? IT IS REAL! WHOOP DE WHOOP. what?

I dont say whoop de whoop. That was weird.

Anyway, so things are going so well. Lucas and I are so happy. I know he is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. <3


How can I be so lucky?

Also, I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost at a baptism recently. Lucas gave his on baptism. He was amazing and just stood up and talked, i had my written out, because i have to write my talks word for word. It was hard and I was shaking, its been years since i had to do any public speaking. Lucas said I did a good job though, so I was happy.

I have been reading the book of Mormon like crazy lately, and its been AMAZING. When you read it everyday, and try and get something out of it, its like you really feel the spirit all day. Such an amazing thing! I should be finished soon.

I sent Kelsey a Christmas package today, I miss her. I still have a picture of her on my phone, I wish I was still her nanny.

Speaking of nannies, I got a 3 day a week nanny position. I watch two little girls, a 21 month old named Morgan, and a 5 month old named Rachael. Rachael has downs syndrome, she is ADORABLE. both girls are cute, and its nice to only work 3 days and still make enough money to live. I watch babies so much!

Also my cousin Jae moved into my house with her son, Raleigh. He is 7 months old and I'm in love with him. :)

I'm going to see Lucas now, so I'll let you see him!


My lovah




Candid shot of Lucas and I at a wedding.