January In a Nutshell

I think I am going to dedicate one blog per month to what Clark and I have accomplished within the month's time. I am so bad at keeping a journal so I thought I could post a list each month as a reminder of what I did and when. Maybe I'm just trying to justify not writing in a journal....but it's a digital world and I can't deny that typing is more convenient than writing...

I'm so glad to be rid of the terrible cold I had for about a month. New Year's Eve was not so fun. I was quarantined to the house because my cold was so bad. We tried to stay up and watch The Godfather III but I couldn't even make it through the movie (granted, it is a long movie). I also had to call in sick to work several days in a row and I had to miss my friend's wedding and the first dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrioUH6OneM

Somehow Clark avoided getting sick at all. Lucky guy.

JANUARY ACCOMPLISHMENT LIST:

1. Clark has worked super hard on the backyard, clearing out rocks and transporting them to the front yard ....




I tried to help, really I did. But even Clark said that it's a "man's job."

2. I ran my first marathon and finished (whew!). I was 16 minutes off my goal time but I had no idea I would have to go to the bathroom so many times. After stop #2 (mile 15) my groins cramped up like crazy and somewhere between mile 19-20 I actually had to stop and stretch. And then find alleys two more times for you-know-what. Uggghhhh, it just stinks to finish and not feel tired. Just cramped up. Even though I qualified for Boston, I think that would be too soon for another marathon. I need to run a couple of half marathons to get my confidence back up.

here is a link to pictures that I wish I could buy but just can't afford. Or rather, I don't want to afford. This photography company must make a killing.

http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=44488&BIB=2120&S=230&PWD=




3. I finished the four books in the Twilight Series. I'm sad to be done, but glad I'm not obsessing about it anymore. Man that fictional Edward is SO stinking hot! Kind of makes me wish vampires were real...




4. Finally, I picked out various samples of colors to paint our kitchen and living room. Clark said we can only paint after he finishes the busiest part of his semester, which is the first 5 weeks. So, after spring break we can FINALLY splash some stinking color on the walls!



5. We finally made it out to the San Tan Mountains with Mom and Dad Tobler the day after the marathon. I have been wanting to go hiking out there for some time. The hiking trails don't quite compare to Mt. Charleston though.





6. I bought a bunch of picture frames for our bare walls...believe it or not, the best deals I could find were at Ross. I checked out Michaels, Target and Wal-Mart as well. Michaels sends out those 40% off coupons each week, but even those won't bring the prices of frames down to the price you can get them at Ross. Of course, Ross doesn't have a consistent supply so you never know what you're going to find...but here's what I found:



(Actually, the smaller 4x6 frames on the left side of the picture I did get at Michaels. But the three multi-picture frames were from Ross.)

7. I started to learn to play drums! Clark is teaching me the basics and hopefully we'll find a good deal on craigslist so we can get another drum set. Since I'm lefthanded we need another one so we can set it up differently.



Clark is extremely good at drums. It is so sexy to watch him play. Maybe I shouldn't type that, but hey, it's the truth.

Hope this post finds everyone happy and healthy. I am so thankful to finally be healthy again. My cold lasted long enough that I shouldn't get sick for another 3 years.

The Sweetheart Tag

1. Where did you first meet your hubby?

Clark and I first met during 8th grade track practice. He asked if I had a brother named Cedar. I responded with something like yes, how do you know that? Turns out my oldest bro and his oldest bro were buddies during high school. Several weeks after meeting him I told Melinda of my crush and asked her to find out if he liked me. So eighth grade, I know. Turns out, he did! So yeah, our history starts when we were just 14 years old... and Melinda, you were more instrumental than you probably thought!

2. What do you remember about him most?

Clark was just so funny and everyone loved to be around him. He really could make anyone laugh. He was also very, very cute. I remember telling my best friend, Whitney, that I thought he looked a little like Matt Damon. I remember she just giggled and rolled her eyes. Now it seems whenever we're out he'll get comments like, "has anyone ever told you that you look like Matt Damon?" Now I just roll my eyes while he smirks and gloats.

3. Who asked who out first?

Well, this is truly a complicated question! I will try to keep the answer short, though!

Clark was the first to ask me out in 8th grade. At a track meet, of course. Maybe I shouldn't be posting this since his Dad was a Bishop at the time and Clark was not supposed to "date" until he turned 16. Sorry for springing this info on you Mom and Dad Tobler. But dating and "going out" are not synonymous and in 8th grade it just means you hold hands and talk on the phone a lot.

Flash forward to the summer before our freshman year of high school. Clark and I were still talking on the phone nightly but I heard through the grapevine (through Melinda) that he was HOLDING HANDS at church dances with a girl from Basin City! **Shudder** I was so upset but we continued to talk anyway. I had no idea if we were still "going out" or not. So the night before school started I decided to ask him out. His answer was "I'll get back to you on that." (He waited about nine 8 years to get back to me.) So I guess his answer was a big fat NO and instead of "going out" we would just hang out all the time. I think we confused a lot of people since it was obvious we did like each other.

Times changed as we got a little older. We didn't really talk during 10th and 11th grade (though Clark will tell you he remembers us being friends). Then we were friends again our senior year. We were also "friends" my freshman year of college but there was some sort of love triangle going on on both our ends. Oops. But after he left on his mission he apologized for being a jerk and the letters started pouring in. Lots and lots of letters and tapes. I couldn't keep up. He would just send so much mail, and I had running, studying, and partying to do.

But when he got back from his mission he and his parents flew to Pasco so he could report his mission. I guess you could say we rekindled that old flame, but by the time he flew back to Vegas our status still had not been established. So a month and a half later I flew out to Vegas and I had to be the one to bring up our status situation! Uuggghhh! This guy! But it turns out it was well worth it :)

4. What did you do on your first date?

We established we wanted to be a couple in Vegas, and the next day he took me to a concert. Alkaline Trio and My Chemical Romance. Although I made us leave during My Chemical Romance because I thought they were terrible. And then he treated me to In and Out. So that was our first date.

5. What was your favorite thing to do together while you were dating?

We did go to quite a few concerts and shows. Strung Out, Dashboard, Saves the Day. That would probably be my favorite thing we did together, aside from snuggling.

6. When was your first kiss with your sweetheart?

Ummm...to answer or not to answer? Our very first kiss was on the bus coming back from a track meet in 8th grade just hours after Clark asked me out. I probably shouldn't be sharing that info.

And then our first kiss after we'd grown up and matured was the very first day I had spent with him in over two years, in Pasco after his mission. We spent all day together catching up, visiting his old friends, eating mexican popsicles. And that night before I left for home he walked me out to my truck and kissed me. I was shocked. It was unexpected. I guess the hormones as a returned missionary overtook him. But it was very sweet and satisfying to know he still cared about me.

7. Who said it (I love you) first?

Clark, definitely. We would say it back and forth to each other in tapes and letters, but I didn't think we meant it that way.

But then he said it to me the night of our "first kiss" after his mission. I could tell he meant it differently.

8. When did you realize you first loved him?

A loooong time ago. No joke. Even though I was a kid, I knew I loved him. And I still do and I always will :)

9. How did he propose?

I love my man, he is so clever. He made a huge collage of pictures of us taken during the two years we dated. There was a picture missing from the center of the collage and when I asked why there wasn't a picture there he said something to the effect that we could put a wedding picture there from our wedding day. Then he got down on one knee and proposed!

10. What do you remember about your wedding day?


Oh man, I just remember it being crazy busy up until the ceremony. I scheduled my hair and makup appointments too late in the day, which made us late for pictures...and it was just hectic. But then as soon as the ceremony commenced it was beautiful. I remember looking into Clark's loving eyes and holding his hand and fighting back the tears. He wasn't crying, so I wasn't going to cry. I had already had a breakdown with my Dad before we walked down the aisle, so that was enough tears for one day. I think we both were just so relaxed and knew we were meant to be together. Everything turned out exactly as we hoped. It was relaxed and beautiful and went by too fast.

I tag: all my sister in laws and Mom Tobler :)

I've Been Sucked In...

I've been sucked in, and I can't find my way out!


I was never really all that interested in reading these books until Christmas rolled around and I needed to keep my mind busy somehow....and Target provided a simple solution with the $5.99 paperback version of Twilight.

I am now on the last book and I can't seem to put it down, and when I do, I can't seem to stop thinking about it! Arrrrgghhh!

So I know all of you out there are like, really? You just now discovered this fantastic series? Yep, sure did. Better late than never, right?


Anyway, Melinda, thank you for tagging me. I will get right on it! Probably tomorrow as I need some time to think through the answers :)

Also, Joe May family, if you are reading this, PLEASE email Clark your blog address! Or at least re-invite us to access your blog! We are dying to see your baby child! Hope Omaha is treating you well!

MY NEW VICE

I absolutely LOVE this tea. It is so good and you don't even have to add sweetener to it. A fellow co-worker of mine introduced me to it. And now I can't stop drinking it. And the best part (other than the sweet-on-its-own taste) is it is HERBAL! MMmmmmmmmm

What a Lovely Christmas Vacation in Washington!

I love the holidays. I love to be around family. I love not having to work. Here is a glimpse of our Christmas vacation to Washington. The weather was not suitable for appropriate training outdoors and I now have a massive head cold but hey, it was a fun trip. So this may seem like a looooong blog but really we didn't take very many pictures. These were basically all we had. We relied on the other family members to properly document the holiday festivities. So go look on their blogs!

Our bus ride from the airport to Lakewood.


Gingerbread houses! Clark and I couldn't agree on an idea so we created our own ideas :)


Playing with Charlie


Attempt at a self portrait amidst the snow.

Off on a walk to a nearby park.

Awwww!

Photo of the brothers with their children. Apparently Jeff is playing "daddy" to Charlie.




I love this picture of the brothers (minus Jake). Clark and Chad are the only ones with their right hand on the brother in front. Love it!


Clark sure did love the karaoke machine!

Cookie decorating frenzy!


Holding precious baby Greta.


Kyle directed the Tobler version of the Living Nativity on Christmas Eve. Too fun!



The reason we risked driving the Snoqualmie Pass: to see Scott and Dagmara, who flew into WA from Germany for Christmas!



My parents held an 'open house' for Scott to thank him for his military service. Neigbors and friends were invited. Notice the Chinook helicopter at the top right of the cake! He's an amazing man, that Scott Ellison!



Cute Chase

Chase helped Dad play Santa during the Ellison Christmas morning gift giving session.


The next day Clark, Cedar and Rachel joined the Ellison celebration. Clark opening a funny gift from Mom Ellison...


Little Cole.

No luck. An Ellison tradition at trying our luck on Christmas with scratch cards.


This present was labeled to both Dagmara and Rachel. We had to 'fight' over who got to keep it.


The official Ellison family photo of 2008. So glad everyone could be together!


I had to add this picture. Too cute of Cole!

Home Decor Decisions

This really isn't that big of a decision, but I want opinions if you have any to offer. I am trying to decide upon 6 pictures from our 2006 summer Tour de Europe to blow up and hang on our walls. Our theme for the living room/kitchen is going to be 'travel' in a sense. I don't know, I'm not too good with themes. But I wanted to get an old world map print for the living area so I thought travel pics would be cool, too. So, if you have a second, please tell me which 6 are the best. I will number all of them so just comment on your six favorites. I would really appreciate it!

#1


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6


#7


#8


#9


#10


#11


#12


#13


So if there aren't even six you like just tell me the numbers of the ones that you do like. Thanks!