And months later...

Hi, yes it's been awhile I know....my bad!

So, lets see what is new....

Well it turns out that when you get married, its a whole new social arena.  I am trying to figure out how the whole making friends thing works, at least that's what we've been working on the last few months :)  I mean, you kind of have "couple friends" after you get married, right? At least that's been our experience.   And you have to find a couple that you both like...And then you hear about certain people hanging out with other people, and its like, "Wait, I thought you were MY friend!"  Kidding.....but it IS a whole new world of socializing. :)  And when you make friends with a couple that has kids and you don't, its nearly impossible to hang out...unless its early enough in the day to where the kids aren't in bed or don't have to go to bed soon.  And then, when you see couples hang out that DO have kids (or when you hang out with them), that's all they ever talk about.  It's one of those things that is of course completely natural because it's a major part of their lives.  And that's fabulous :)  It just makes me think that I hope that Rob and I can find outside things going on so that the kids aren't the entire focus of our lives...you know what I mean?  Maybe that's easier said than done :)  And that certainly doesn't mean I don't like talking about kids. :)  It's just not exactly something that we are experiencing yet haha :)  And, don't get me wrong, its not a terrible thing :)  And not everyone does it, for sure.  I'm just saying...and hoping none of those people are reading this thinking, "IS IT ME??!!! WHY DO YOU HATE ME!!!  FINE DON'T EVER COME OVER AGAIN!!!"  Guys, seriously....OK So maybe I'm exaggerating. Because honestly, I only notice it when another couple enters the room who has kids.  They don't do it with us so much because we don't have kids in common :)  OK horse beaten....

And, I am totally loving having sisters.  Someone said that once--the value of sisters after getting married :)  They are great.  I text them all the time.  When we hang out its like a breath of fresh air.  I love it. :)

Rob and I are now both working with the youth. I just got put into Young Womens as the 2nd counselor and I teach the one and only beehive, haha.  I always wanted to be in Young Womens, and now I suddenly find myself feeling incredibly intimidated!! I was in Primary teaching the 6 year olds for about 6 months, so this is a whole new ball game!  :)

Let's see, what else.....hmmm.....well I'd love to hear from anyone.  :)  I miss my Utah friends :)  I was so blessed to have really bomb roommates and coworkers and ward members, seriously.  I think at the time, though I knew life was great, I didn't value my friends as much as I do now :)  Friends are huge blessings.  I can't say that enough :)  Rob is great, don't get me wrong :)  But without friends, I think we would both go crazy, its just not healthy! ha.

Anyway, I realize after several months this isn't much...but I just thought I'd catch up!!

PS, I knew we should get a lovely picture of Christ or the Temple for our living room wall, but.....we have a really big Zebra.  A ZEBRA.  A big one, in all his glory.  prancing.  I think, or he's just a really good poser.....There was just something about him that drew me in. :)   ha...And it was only $28 as opposed to similar sized paintings of the Temple or Christ that were like, $200....on a budget, people. So, I will end with this....inspiration can be found anywhere, so I am very grateful for Heavenly Father's creations. I always feel closer to Him in nature :)  (Even if its a zebra, I guess.....)

The end.   (and since this is on an ipad I'm still gettting used to it....anyone know how to post pics from an ipad???? so confused....ha)

Portland!!

For Rob's birthday in July, I received an e-mail from Southwest airlines about a deal they were having on flights..... so I took a look, and BAM!!! Portland was on the list.  Why Portland, you ask?

Well, well.... Rob's best friend and old band mate, Kendall, lives in Portland along with his wife and soon-to-be baby! 

So, of course, what better present could I get??  :).

It has been a good trip.  It turns out that Portland is very clean, very green, and there are blackberries growing along most of the roads!  Have you ever picked a blackberry right off the bush and eaten it?Mmmm.....so good.... PS, it turns out that blackberry bushes have TONS of thorns. Just for warning you.....

Ew...are you impressed, or what?

PS if you want to hear Rob and Kendall play, click here! http://youtu.be/cQeTqB_VY7E (its much more attractive than my scratched up foot....).

The Ninja Blender

A couple of weeks ago, Rob and I decided to splurge with our Target giftcards and wait for it...get a....wait for it...Nin....wait for it...ja!!! A Ninja blender!!  

Saturday morning came around, and we decided it was time to give it a shot! We were so excited to try it out.  We got out every fruit and vegetable we could think of and placed them before us.  It was also a beautiful day--a little bit of a drizzle but a perfect temperature.  So we opened all the windows up and let in a fresh breeze. What a great day!

Rob has class early Saturdays, so we decided that sending him off with a healthy breakfast drink would be the perfect topping to this morning, not to mention using our awesomely strong blender....

Well, as I wasn't sure just how strong this thing was, we put in the veggies one at a time and discussed each one. Like this:

"OH ROB!! DUDE!!! CHECK IT OUT WE SHOULD PUT IN SOME CARROTS!! AND BANANAS!!  AND CELERY!! AND CRUNCHY APPLES!!"

"SHAYNA THATS AN AWESOME IDEA!!!  YEAH-YEAHHHH!!! WE ARE GONNA ROCK THIS THING!!! BOOYAAAAHHH!!"

"HEY ROB! (he is in the other room) DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD ADD SOME ROCKS TO THIS??  MAYBE SOME ICE CHUNKS??"

"HUH? WHAT?? WHAT DID YOU SAY HUN? YEAH MY RASH IS GOING AWAY!!!"

"I SAID...."

Anyway, as I pulsed the blender, "ROARRR!!! RoOAARRRR!!! RROOOOAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!" I was thinking, and saying, 

'THIS THING IS AMAZING!!! WOOHOOOO!!!!!" (upon which I *almost* put on my clogging shoes and clogged across the kitchen....)

Rob walked into the kitchen and I pulsed it a few more times...."WAAAH....WAHHHHH....WAAAHHHH....WAAAHHHH...."

Then, before we knew it, as Rob and I bellowed out our joyous laughter and excitement, "Ha HA HA HA".....a figure in a flowing gown appeared at our window...

"GEEZE!!! I know you guys are diggin' your new place and everything, but seriously!!  What are you doing??  It sounds like there are power tools going off in here!!  My bed is right next to the wall where you are doing that! I can hear everything!!!"

And that was our first introduction to our next door neighboor.  Needless to say, we are a lot quieter in the kitchen now that we know that her bed is LITERALLY right next our kitchen wall.  

PS...Highly recommended: the Ninja.  

Geocaching! What??

OK, ok. I know we are about 10 years behind on this, but its pretty cool.  My cousin Amber introduced it to us :)  So, we decided to try it out and on our Sunday walk, we realized there was a Geocache about a mile from us!  So we walked to it, and after digging through some rocks, we found it!  Our first geocache ever! 

If you have kids or just want something different to do, this is kind of fun :) It spices up a typical walk, and these geocaches are everywhere!  

And....I am almost ashamed to admit this, but I have been watching episode after episode of How I Met Your Mother. I stopped watching for a long time because Barney is soooo inappropriate....but I finished Chuck and got sucked back in....and its HILARIOUS.  The end. 

The New Mr. and Mrs. Cox :)

Presenting the new Mr. and Mrs. Cox!  

We got married! We did it!  And we are happy. :) 

Despite losing the silverware before the food was served, and my little niece stealing money off of my dress during the money-dance, and the fancy cake not getting eaten because my step-mom served her home-made desserts before the cake was served, and the kitchen being a wild haphazard mess, and the pots and pans getting burnt...The reception was fabulous.  ;)  You gotta expect craziness, right?  

Rob is a thoughtful, kind, and humble husband. I am grateful for him.  Its been a little over a month.  Marriage hasn't been long for us so far, but its a sweet experience, and I am realizing that it does teach a lot of great lessons.  Its not at all what I expected. I hope I can keep learning. :) 

Cold Feet?

OH man...oh man oh man...I"m totally freaking out here...wedding is one month from today and I don't know if its cold feet or what but I'm totally freaking out.  I really hope marriage is awesome...How do you married people deal with being together so much? I mean, if Rob and I are together for hours on end, by the end of the day we are exhausted.  and I'm totally ready to go home and have my own space and do my own thing...away from him.  And after a few days I'm ready to hang out again. But when you are married, you can't exactly do that.  Maybe that takes breaking through some walls or something, learning to be totally open with each other so then you don't get emotionally exhausted. I dont know!  I'm so scared marriage is gonna be horrible and I'm gonna bawl my eyes out and want to go back home and not be married anymore...and poor Rob will be heartbroken because I'm not that excited giddy wife that you usually expect.....Oh dear!!

<3 p="" shayna="">

Sometimes I like to endlessly try on glasses....

Sometimes I am a hipster in disguise...

Sometimes I am a futuristic chica...

Sometimes I am a 70s throwback....

YES....I did take all of these at Costco....and sent them all to my family and to Rob because I couldn't decide which ones to get...and YES it took me 2 1/2 hours...and NO I didn't get any because they closed. haha.....The end. 

EnGaGeD!!

Yep, you got it! We have chosen our colors and they are....dun dun dun....

I'm really happy about these colors!! I gave Rob a huge list to choose from, and he picked the one I liked the best! Woohoo! :)  Also, I think we MAY have gotten our FAVORITE photographer, Marielle Hayes! She is amazing!! See her work here. 

I am learning a lot....for one, expectations. I had no idea how many expectations I had.  Sometimes I wish I could have started this relationship with an entirely clean slate--no expectations besides the most important things, like someone who lives the Gospel.  Man alive, they say expectations play a big part, but I didn't even realize it! I am so judgmental.....so impatient...so negative...ha! 

I told Shawna (the woman I work for) about all of my scary dreams about Rob, and she just laughed and said it is totally normal. haha :) She even said that she has dreams about her husband, and she has to spend some time unwinding those emotions that come out in her dreams.  So funny :)  That made me feel better, poor Rob! :)  

He's so great.  :)

Keeping a Youthful Spirit

I am a nanny, and as such, I spend a lot of time with kids. In fact, even after I leave the kids, I end up spending time ON the kids. In fact, today, I spent an hour scrubbing out the backseat of my car because my step-sister needed a ride, and she stuck her finger in something unknown and sticky....disgusting.

I LOVE my car, and keeping it clean is no joke. I also love my quiet time....and I love to put my music on the station that I like....and I love keeping my clothes decently in good shape, and all sorts of fantastic things that kids tend to...well....destroy.  The first month on the job, after C climbed all over my car and wiped his melted-on-peanut-butter-and-chocolate, gooey, sticky, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup fingers ALL over my beige, pristine car seats...even in the front....well...it was time to settle for the cheap-o Hawaiian seat covers that we all avoid in college. Seriously?? Dang you!!!

As I was coming home from my Grandpa's funeral today (Oh Grandpa, I miss you already...) I was reflecting.  What is it about becoming an adult that makes us grumpy, that makes us put up all kinds of walls, and that basically sucks the life right out of us?  Why do we get into our comfortable little places and turn into crusty, hardened little sponges?  Now, my Grandpa, mind you, was old, but he still had a spark.  Everyone that knew him loved the guy. He could find the humor in any situation.

Back to the kids...When I started this job, I didn't expect to be climbing up trees and getting blasted by the water hose and chasing escaped kitty cats around the backyard.  I did not anticipate being "taught" ninja moves or being a big, hairy, terrifying monster. I didn't realize how many bags of pirate's booty could possibly be eaten at once.  I didn't expect to be jumped on in my comfortable lounge chair at the swimming pool over and over again so I could tickle someone's feet. I also didn't expect to be called mean or to have to chase a five year old through a busy intersection just because he wasn't listening or paying attention. I thought they would clean up after themselves, eat with manners, and wipe their faces all because I was doing an awesome job.  I thought a lot of things....whether or not I thought I was thinking them.  :)

Basically, I am realizing from these kids that they know how to life LIFE.  They engage with it, every moment of it.  Making them wait around for five minutes is like torture....thats like 12 years in adult time.  When they eat, it gets all over their faces, and they aren't worried about how it makes them look, because they are enjoying it!!! Their smiles are huge and that is all the more charming. :) They climb as high as they can up the trees without worrying about what might happen or how they are going to get down. When they ask you questions, the questions are often very straight forward. When they leave big messes, it is because they are so excited to start the next activity that the thought of slowing down and doing something like "cleaning" doesn't even make sense.  They don't worry about making inappropriate comments, because they are too innocent to realize that what they are saying may or may not be considered "rude" or PC.  They are just being honest....and I love that.  When they play, they aren't afraid that everyone is watching them.  They will enact battle scenes all alone...where they are the hero and they are fighting imaginary beasts.  When they play together, they all feed off of each other's enthusiasm.  :)

I LOVE kids. I could go on forever. I love them because they remind me that life is to be lived, to be engaged in, and to take chances.  I feel like I, too often, am saying things like "Oh be careful!"  "No don't play with the hose because it costs a lot of money to run it and you will be freezing cold and wet!"  "Go play with your friends! (in other words, give me some peace!)"  Give me some peace?!...that doesn't come by not engaging with the kids or saying NO all the time.  Kids know how to PLAY.  And PLAY is what we are missing when we "grow up".  And peace, well, doesn't that come by finding the joy in life and letting go of our worries?  (and by keeping the commandments, of course....)

Anyway, I love my job.  I really do.  And I am thankful to be learning some great life lessons from kids that haven't even "lived life" yet.  Thank goodness for kids!!

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Today is a stay at home day. :)  I was nauseous all night and woozy in the morning, and now I have all these aches and pains and a fever...so....just hanging out!

Anyone ever get emotional when you feel sick? I feel like such a crybaby today....its the weirdest thing.

This last weekend Rob and I went to Santa Cruz :) It was a blast...and probably where I picked up a bug!  (ironic that I was using hand sanitizer the whole time...and when I was a kid I used to lick the banisters in San Francisco at Pier 39 and never get sick....go figure!)

Oh well!

It was Rob's first time at the Boardwalk!! I was so surprised he had never been!  

 "Flirty"

 Foosball Champ..and I am the worst player ever. He let me win 2 of them.