Summer Time, please and thank you

I must confess I was very ready for school to be done last Thursday. I really do love school, most of the time, but the semester has been busy and long and the sunshine has been calling my name. Now, I can reply instead of going inside the library. Yay.

A quick catch up. Since last I've written:

• Choco continued the job search
• We attended the Color Fest in Spanish Fork for my first time. It was a bit chaotic. I was appalled at all the trash people just throw on the ground. But, it was fun and we got some color and enjoyed watching all the people. I had a pink scalp at church the next day. Now I can say I've had the experience.

The masses

A bit colorful

yellow with blue spots hair. love it.

• School, school, and more school. 
• Choco's family came to visit for General Conference. We went to SLC for the Saturday sessions. It was so wonderful. I'm always inspired and uplifted after hearing from the prophets. What a blessing!
• Kenia and Jair stayed with us for a couple of weeks because they had a break from school. I love them both and it was fun to have them here in Provo. We played some tennis, watched some movies, played some games, and ate some food.  
• We went to Pocatello for Easter with Josue, Kenia, and Jair. I always love seeing my family. We dyed eggs (seen in the following pics). Choco wasn't as thrilled about the egg dying due to the vinegar smell. But Park, Kenia, Jair, and I had a good time. 



beautiful Kenia

oh Park.

               

our lovely eggs

                               

brit and addie: tan from Hawaii

• Finals came. I worked a lot at the testing center and mostly did well on my own finals. It was a good semester, and I was happy to be done. 
• Choco got a job!!!! What a blessing it is. He is working for Western Technologies as a field technician. He will be working long days in the sun, but I he is liking it so far. He started on Wednesday. Friday was his first day in the field. He left at 7am and didn't get home until 11pm. He came home very sunburnt. I can only imagine how dark he will be by the end of the summer. I love it.   We're very grateful for our answered prayers. Now, I just need to find a job for the summer. 

His work attire. The flash caused the vest to reflect. 

sunburn after one day in the sun

• Yesterday, we spent the day doing yard work. We made a little garden spot in our backyard. We're hoping for some tomatoes and peppers for fresh salsa. The plot is created, thanks to Choco's hard work. Planting will happen this week. Also, other big news. For the first time ever, yesterday I mowed our lawn. I guess because I had two brothers and a dad that always took care of it, I have never operated a lawn mower. I felt accomplished finishing despite the random design from my lack of experience. It was fun. It is a blessing to have beautiful sunshine here. 

working on our little garden spot

All and all, life is so wonderful. We are happy and healthy and blessed. Welcome summer! 

Sunbeams

First of all, there are sunbeams outside.  On Sunday, we woke up to beautiful weather.  Yesterday was warm and wonderful in only my long-sleeved shirt, no jacket or coat or anything.  Sunshine really does make people feel better.  I know I felt more cheerful.  I was singing "You Make my Dreams" by Hall and Oates.  It is one of the songs on 500 Days of Summer.  Anyways, I was singing it on my walk to school and throughout the lovely day.

Now, to another type of sunbeams.  We had a very successful day on Sunday with our little sunbeams.  The lesson was on being thankful for flowers, plants, and trees.  Choco is amazing with them.  He started by drawing on the chalkboard a beautiful picture of a landscape while explaining the creation.  The kids were super excited to draw with chalk, so he assigned different parts to color once he finished the whole picture.  One girl colored the river, then preceded to draw her and her new dress.  One boy colored the tree with great enthusiasm.  The other boy was assigned to the sun.  After he was done with that, he continued to draw unknown shapes into our picture.  Overall, they were loving it.  It was great to stand back and watch them at work.  They may have been a bit messy, covered in colored chalk, but it was worth the fun.

Other activities of the lesson included pretending to be a seed growing up into a flower.  We let the kids create flowers on the floor with our colored construction paper (thank you sugardoodle.net).  Then we tossed a shoe to try to land on them.  We also let them jump on them and name the colors.  We acted out that we were trees.  Everyone did great swaying in the wind, reaching up tall to the sky, shaking off the snow, and growing blossoms.  Of course, this was followed by a beautiful rendition of "Popcorn Popping."  It was so fun to see the kids engaged and learning.  What a blessing to hear and see the funny and insightful things these little people say and do.  We love them a lot.

On Saturday, there was another kind of sunbeam or extra light in my life.  My dearest cousin Katie invited me to her stake's Relief Society women's conference to celebrate the birthday of the Relief Society.  Sister Beck came and spoke to us.  It was amazing and so uplifting!  One of the things she focused on was the purpose of Relief Society and what should also be our purpose in life as women.  The purpose includes three points:  to increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen home and family, and help those in need.  These really are what we must focus on in our lives.  It was good to refocus and think of the things that I spend my time doing.  There is so much I need to work on.  What a blessing Heavenly Father is patient with us.  It was a splendid morning with one of my best friends!  Thanks Katie.

Dear Teresa and Katie.  Love them

Those are just some of the delightful sunbeams in my life.  Yay for sunshine, primary, and spiritual light.    

Valentine's Dance

Just enjoying a relaxing Saturday.  We went to the gym this morning (my rear end is a bit sore from sitting on the bike.  Not to mention my legs).  Did some grocery shopping, took a fabulous nap, and have just relaxed.  Now, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are in the oven.  I thought I would add a picture.  This is our vintage look for our Stake Valentine's dance.  It was such a fun time.  I sure do love this man.

Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam!

Life is beautiful.  We are Sunbeam teachers now.  Today was our first day teaching our little friends.  It was, a bit chaotic, but good.  We're really excited to get to know these little, funny people and hopefully help them learn more about the gospel.  I'm still trying to get used to the idea of some of the lessons, including I am grateful for Fish, yes fish.  Or I am grateful for insects and bugs.  It will be an adventure!  What a blessing for us to learn from these wonderful kids.  They've got personality and energy.  I love being in Primary once again to sing songs and learn.

Other than sunbeams, life consists of school and work for me.  Busy, busy, but very good.  I'm loving my elementary education classes.  It is still overwhelming to think of actually teaching my own class soon enough, but hopefully I'll get there :).  Word at the testing center is great as always.

We had a lovely weekend.  Friday, our stake had a Valentine's Day dance.  We had fun dressing up from the 40's, learning some dance moves, eating, and dancing the night away.  I absolutely love having a husband that can dance.  He is the best, and I love being on the dance floor with  my man.  We cha-cha-chaed, waltzed, fox trotted, etc.  It was a great night, and my sore feet were evidence of that.

Saturday, we headed up to Bountiful for Paul and Gina's wedding.  It was a beautiful ceremony and a beautiful couple.  We're very excited for them!  Their reception was in Provo that evening.  It was a wonderful day.

Perfectly Splendid Break

Happy New Year!! 2012!  It has been a perfectly splendid break for us.  Before we went to Pocatello for Christmas, we had our own Christmas in Provo with just the two of us.   

Please excuse the lack of make up and pjs.
Choco got me a new Ticket to Ride, which I love.
It is Nordic countries and even Christmas-y.  

By the way, my amazing husband graduated for BYU!!
I'm so proud of all of his hard work.
He got this fabulous and official badge from the engineering dept. 

 Pocatello for Christmas:
It was so great to hang out and be the fam.  I love them all so much.

Park is rocking a mustache.  Honestly, I kind of love it!

My mom got sick while we were there :(  So, Dad and I
were in charge of Christmas Day dinner.
Dad's Beautiful Turkey.

 We left Pocatello the day after Christmas.  Tuesday, we headed to Las Vegas to be with the Lopez family.  It was lovely.  We rented a house, ate at too many buffets, played games, went to the temple, and did a lot of shopping.  I love them all!!

Vegas temple was gorgeous! It was so great to
do a session with Amy and Jamir.  

We also drew names and had a gift exchange as well as a little talent show.  Good times. I got a lovely scarf and hat from Josue.

Beautiful Kenia

Oh, Choco

Josue's bride :)

We came back to Provo on Friday.  New Year's Eve was spent at our house.  Mama Lopez made a delicious dinner of pasta.  We played games and barely made it to midnight.  It was a great night spent together.

Happy 2012!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

This semester truly has flown by.  Today is the last day of classes and finals are next week!  I still have lots to do, including two papers and two tests, but the end is approaching.

Thanksgiving was splendid in Colorado.  Despite a cough, it was a fabulous time at Carrie and Kevin's.  Oh how  I love their boys.  One of my favorite memories from this trip is Max singing "Santa Clause is Coming to Town." All of the words aren't quite clear, but it sure is beautiful and loud.  I love them and Jake.  It makes Choco and I hope for amazing kids like them.  Thanksgiving included much feasting, some Family Feud, a few puzzles, reading, relaxing, gingerbread house decorating, and even some shopping.  I also ate the best cold turkey sandwiches of my life, thanks to grandma's incredible homemade rolls.  Yummy, so good.  I believe in a little mayo, turkey, salt, cheese, and pickle on a white roll with classic Lays potato chips.  Doesn't get any better.  Carrie sure know how to throw a party.  It was great!!  It was so nice to have  a get away with my family.  I love them so much.

max!

the beautiful set up for Thanksgiving dinner

Choco and Coco

One of the puzzles we put together

gingerbread houses!

The Lopez gingerbread house.
As you can see, we have six gummy bear children
and we are gingerbread marshmallows. :)

We are both very excited for the upcoming break.  I'm loving listening to Christmas music.  Some of my favorites are currently Jordan Bluth (such a beautiful tenor voice), and SheDaisy (classic in the Thomas household).  Yay for Christmas carols!

The Christmas First Presidency Devotional marked one year since our first date.  It was fun to reflect on an eventful and beautiful year together.  I'm so grateful we can be together forever, because I love him so much!!  I am amazed at his goodness and love.  

The devotional was so good and uplifting.  It is always good to remember where our focus should be at this time of year.  I would like to read Pres. Monson's yearly readings over the break: A Christmas Carol and The Mansion.  I truly am so grateful for Jesus Christ and this time of year we have to celebrate his birth and life and sacrifice for us.  What a blessing it is to know these truths and to have peace from our Savior.  Merry merry Christmas!

I love Christmas trees, real Christmas trees.  So, I was spoiled and we got a beautiful pine from the Home Depot.  It smells so good, like Christmas.  Our decorations include icicle lights from Amy and Jamir's wedding and left over ribbons from our wedding gifts.  It is beautiful!!  I love having it in our home.

Happy end of the semester and Happy Holidays!