As the Job World Turns....

When planning to leave for California, EVERYTHING seemed to be working out in our favor!

1.) When we found out we would be leaving in two weeks for our internship, we needed a renter for our condo while we were gone. The next day a lady pulls up in her car while I was outside cleaning out my trunk and asked me if I knew of any condos that were being rented... She was heaven sent! I informed her that ours was being rented out and to come in and take a look at it. She LOVED it and signed a lease the next day

2.) I had to give my job a 1 week notice and I was so nervous that they were going to be mad. My boss was so great about it and was excited for our adventure!

3.) We were able to get ALL of our stuff moved out of our condo very quick with TONS of help from our wonderful families, neighbors, ward members, friends.

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When we came home in January, we were prepared for the reality that we would not have jobs and our condo was still being rented out. I guess you could say we are... Homeless and jobless!

But not really the homeless part because we are living with my cute parents in their basement.

We have been home for almost two months and we are still without jobs. It seems as though our luck has changed a bit ... I spend most of my day everyday applying for jobs and getting my resume out there. Whenever I talk to someone from Human Resources about a particular position they inform me that I am running against 300 other people for the same position.

I went to an interview for a Legal Assistant position and the man interviewing me said that there are people with their masters and even attorneys applying for this position.

I will admit it has been very frustrating, especially since I got my Bachelor's to prevent this sort of situation from happening. All we can do now is to stay positive and have faith that everything will work out in its own time.... Its not always my time or the way I want it to be.

Life is full of ups and downs and you have to go through the hard times to appreciate when things come easier! We have so much to be happy and thankful for. We have amazing parents and sisters. We are blessed with,who we consider, the world's bestest friends!

As the job world turns...

Hopefull it starts turning our way!! :)

Homeward Bound

Well we have been home for a month and a half and I never posted about our journey home!

In total, we covered 1,076 miles of land!!

Our last night in San Francisco was so sad!
We had grown to love this city and everything about it.

I of course took the trolley down to Union Square for one last time...

There is so much magic in this city!

We met a man names Mitch who we grew to become great pals with!

He is an entertainer on the pier and has promised our first born child an amazing birthday party on Pier 39 when they turn 3 years old.

We will definatley take you up on that offer Mitch!

We miss you buddy and see you soon!


On our way home to Salt Lake, we stopped in Solvang where we had spent our summer!

We met up with all of our friends, Sandi, Jon, Timmeri, Mary, and had breakfast at The Longhorn!

Mary, our adopted grandmother, surprised us with a luxurious room at the Chumash Casino!

We have been surrounded by the most amazing people on our journey!

While living in Solvang, we never took our picture next to the infamous windmill.

So we first stopped at The Fudge Kitchen for the world's best Pretzel and then took our picture together.

We love you and Miss you Solvang!!! We will be seeing you soon!

Our next stop was Universal Studios and Disneyland!

The christmas lights were still lit up in Disneyland!!

As our last night in California came to a close, our little eyes filled up with tears while watching the fireworks show.... even Josh's filled up a bit!

We LOVED living here for 8 months and found it soooo hard to leave!

We know that this moment would be so bitter-sweet as we left the place we loved but going home to family and friends!

We are now residing back home in snowy Salt Lake City...

Oh how we miss Sunny California!!

Leaving our HEARTS in San Francisco!

Our journey here is coming to an end and we are so grateful that we were able to have this oppurtunity! We have been in California since May and have truly loved every minute of it. Josh and I have grown so much and it has been such a great experience to leave the stresses of life and just focus on eachother for a few months. This is definately a part of my life that we will always look back on and wish we had it back! We are excited for all of our new adventures in life that await us... Goodbye City by the bay, you have stolen our hearts!

I think Amber said it best when she said that Tony says it best..

We LEAVE OUR HEARTS in San Francisco

High on a hill, they call to us.

To be where LITTLE CABLE CARSClimb halfway to the stars!

The morning fog may chill the air,

I DON'T CARE OUR LOVE GREW there in San Francisco
Above the blue and windy sea

When we COME HOME to you, San Francisco,

YOUR GOLDEN SUN WILL SHINE FOR US!

San Francisco will always be considered a home to us,

for it is where it was just us two,

So until NEXT TIME San Francisco,

WE WILL BE MISSING YOU!!

Twas the night before christmas...

Josh and I finished up our christmas shopping on christmas eve. This is my favorite view as we are driving back into the city from Daly City.
The Harmers creating their first christmas tradition... Cheesecake for Christmas Eve!

Christmas eve dinner at Cheesecake on our way up to Sonoma!

As we pulled into Sonoma at 11 pm we found a christmas tree lot with one lone tree standing in the lot. It was heaven sent! So the boys walked up to the door to ask if we could take the tree. A guy answered and said that we could have it for $50. Mind you, this is 11 pm on Christmas eve and clearly this tree is not going any where. Josh and Howie sparked a deal and got it for $40.

Amber getting excited for some christmas eve fun!

Bringing the tree to our christmas cottage in Sonoma.

Setting up for Christmas!

The christmas elves found us in our cottage and brought us some matchy jammies!

Making the cottage feel like christmas and tying knots on the ornaments.

I tied 1 knot for every 5 knots Amber tied!

Matchy!

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house,

not a creature was snoring, not even a mouse.

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

In hopes that St. Howie soon would be there.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and four tiny reindeer.

CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!!

Santa brought Josh every color of chords this year!

We spent christmas day...

Relaxing

Watching movies

Eating

Hot tubbing in the rain

Playing Mad-Gab (Amber won every time, I think I might have won once but I think that she just let me win so I felt like I was playing too.)

Laughing

Eating

Laughing

And spent our christmas dinner at the best seat in town...

BLACK BEAR DINER.

The concierge warned us not to eat here because it was like eating at an old folks home.

And boy was she wrong, not about the old folks part....

Thank you Black Bear Diner for the best christmas memories!

We went back to our cottage and watched Josh dance around to some hip-hop jams.

Thong song was probably the one he was dancing to in this picture.

Howie, you still have to show us how you can dance....

You have less than 48 hours to do so, and trust me, we are not letting you leave us here without a sneak peak!

Making our gingerbread house village.

Our Christmas Cottage!

An orange tree!

This christmas will be one that we will never forget! I can't wait for our christmas together again when we are seventy and we take that christmas cruise with Harmers!

We hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

A month to Celebrate

A MONTH TO CELEBRATE...

CHRISTMAS IN SAN FRANCISCO!!!

Union Square.
We love you at Christmas!

A month to Celebrate...

Josh's 25th Birthday!!!

1/4th of a Century.

His birthday Streamers.

We drove 30 miles to pick up his favorite birthday cake in Concord, in Sam's Club.

Birthday Boy gets whatever Birthday boy wants on Birthday Boy's Birthday!

We could not have spent his birthday with anyone better, The Harmers, our "lifelong friends!"

A Birthday Pazookie at BJ's

This whole Birthday wish stuff is a big deal when you get older.

Josh concentrated like this for a few seconds before blowing out the candles.

I hope he get's what he wished for.

A month to Celebrate...

Parents.

You guessed it, Santa did not come to town but my parents did!

Yay!

"Put your hands in the air and wave them like you just don't care"

Seriously have a halo on my head in this picture.

Instead of being a christmas elf this holiday, I am a christmas angel.

We love you San Francisco at Christmas!

Did someone say Cheesecake?

We made my parents take the Rosa Parks Trolley.

It looks like they like it.

The next morning we drove down to Monterey!

And ate at Bubba Gumps.

Trust me, We did not hold back.

We could not decide whether to get the onion rings or the shrimp platter, so we got them both.

And ate them both.

Glamour shots on the beach.

My two favorite boys.

I am one lucky girl!

We had to build the best pebble pile that there ever was on Pebble beach.

Josh chanted Jenga Jenga Jenga as we placed each rock.

The suspense almost killed me.

Ours is the better looking one of the two.

I hope that you were choosing the one on the left.

After taking this picture I accidently ran toward the wrong car and was two inches away from jumping in with a random man.

That wouldn't have been awkward.

Dang you Black Beauty Doubles!

17 Mile Drive

We did not let the rain stop us, we stopped the rain!

Lovers in Love

The original BLACK BEAUTY.

The original SLEEPING BEAUTY.

It was a long ride to Monterey!

We had to take them to Lombard.

Its a Must Do on your list to San Francisco.

Thank you Hello Kitty for taking our picture!

I spy something red.

Thank you guys SO much for flying out to see us!

Thanks for taking us out for every meal, bringing an endless supply of werther candy, and showing us a good time.... or were we the ones showing you a good time.

Either way! We love you and can't wait to live in your basement in a month.

Or can we?

And a special thanks to my mom and dad for bringing us a little piece of home.

A great salt lake snowflake ornament!

From our house to yours,

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TOO!

TOOTALOO!