Our Christmas

Temple lights on Christmas Eve

Shawn opening his gifts from my parents

Christmas dinner with chicken and rolls, um

Zucchine Bread for the neighbors with homemade card

Shawn doing the dishes.

We hope you all had a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! It was hard being away from all of our loved ones, but it was nice to be warm and with Shawn. It was a good day. Bring on 2012!

LONG AWAITED!

I feel that I have left so many of you in the dust and that it may appear that I have forgotten you. Oh contrary, I think of all of you almost daily but are unable to communicate via internet. You see, internet is REALLY expensive. I mean 2 GB is $50 and that is not counting the device needed to get the internet in the first place. It is out of control! Due to this internet has been about emails for nursing and work. Really not much else. I am sorry. I feel horrible. You may find yourself asking well then how are you writing this.... INSTITUTE! Yep, it pays to be a member of the church. Free internet! WHOOP WHOOP!
This is going to be more like an email or letter than a post. I need to get you all caught up and since there are about a million and half emails from all of you asking this same questions I will answer them all on here. Hope that is okay. I know it is not as personable but we all have to make sacrifices. Sorry!
Letter starting:
I just opened up my email and guess what.... I GOT MY WORK VISA! That means that I can start work really soon. I am so excited. I have loved staying home and being about to workout, clean, read, cook and do laundry. However, I am excited to be able to work and bring in a bit of income. I have been talking with a company for Home Health Care. It is not the preferred job but it will get me into healthcare until my nursing license goes through. Also, (sit down for this) I am going to be teaching ballet. I have not taught in 7 years and have not danced in even longer but I contacted a company and they need a dance teacher. My dad says that he is glad that all those thousands of dollars have not gone to waste. I am excited because I love ballet and I know that I will be able to help those girls become better dancers.
Nextly, Shawn and I moved. Since I have married him I have moved to my parents house, moved to New Zealand, moved to our first apartment and now moved into our second rental. I wish that you could all see it. I promise that I will post pictures. We love our place and it feels really good there. With that said it is tiny. Length wise you can walk from one end to the next in 20 foot steps and width 4 steps. Also, Monica, it is on wheels so your dream of living in a trailer is my reality. Let me point out the good though, it has a gas stove and water heater which is perfect and the kitchen is really nice. Our landlord is so nice and helps us with everything. He is even going to repair our car in a couple of weeks so we don't have to pay so much. It is out in the country by the railroad tracks. The train runs about once an hour. You may wonder how I know that... well Shawn has been documenting all the trains that go by. We really do love our place.
Moving on. Married life. This morning in bed I thought to myself can't we just stay in this forever. Having the feelings and thoughts that I have. It just feels perfect. It is not always like that... but this morning it was. I love Shawn.
Shawn is so busy with school. I am constantly amazed by his brains. He can do anything! All of his colleagues are in love with him and always asking for his help. He just knows how to do it all. He found out this week that he is in charge of the Christmas party and then also we are invited to a BBQ that only some got invited to. He turned in his research purposal this week. It will go through many reviews and changes but it is nice to have the major part of just getting it together finished.
When he is not at school we are playing games. Skipbo, Racko and Phase 10 (if you have any other 2 people games let me know). I hate to admit it but I taught him all of these games and now he wins me almost every time. We have fun though and it is nice to spend time together.
I have been working out like a mad woman. At least an hour a day but lately it has been two hours. I go and do my own thing for an hour and then attend a class for an hour. I hurt on a daily basis but it is a good hurt.
I am loving being over here. It is an adventure but is starting to feel more and more like home. We are still debating what to do for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I will let you know the details when we figure them out. Turkeys are hard to come by but we think that we have someone to kill us a wild turkey. Should be interesting.
We love you all and are so thankful for all of in our lives. Please keep the emails coming and know that even though often not responded to they are the highlight of my days. Please come and visit if given the chance we will find room for you in our lovely home.
Until next time... which will hopefully be soon and will involve pictures of our home and latest adventures.

Camping

Shawn and I have been camping. It is a camp that is different from what you might expect, but fun none-the-less. We get to see things in new and different ways and be creative in our approach to life. You see, we have been camping in our own apartment. We have had no forks, spoons, knives and no fridge. This last week we have seen the monkey inside of us. Trust me it provided great entertainment each night as we tried to eat dinner. Peanut butter and jelly spread with fingers, tomatoes eaten like apples, kiwi's peeled with fingers. Thankfully, two nights ago I buckled and bought utensils, life has been a bit easier since then. Oh the memories. I know that many years down the road we will look at these times with fondness. Now though, they are just pure humor. We have still not bought a fridge. I am afraid we will wait another three weeks, when we will be moving. You read that right. We are moving yet again to a smaller place with less rent.

Up Roar

So I hear that I have created some talk of unto which I had not idea I was creating. I am a bit naive and didn't see this one coming.  To one and all I say 1) I promise I was not lusting after a stranger while at the temple 2) I miss my roommate Shannon more than imagined 3) My email was an attempt to get her to come over and join me in this new land 4) I love Shawny Boy. I promise that I would not have given up my American life if I were not smitten.  If you spent an evening with us you would see how content and happy we are with each other. I need no other, I want no other.

Happy Tid Bits

1) We have a soft, comfy, fluffy bed.
2) Passed the english test! It was hard.
3) Turned in nursing registration application.
4) No sweater necessary today.
5) Our cargo arrived on the boat.
6) We have a washing machine.
7) We have a vacuum.
8) We bought a sleek dressing table.
9) Possibly I will be working in a short time as a CNA and ballet teacher.
10) Moving into our apartment today.

Thus, we will not have the internet for a time. Don't know when the next postage will come. I promise that it will involve photo's of our new oh so bare apartment. Speaking of which, I have spent the last two days scrubbing. BLEACH anyone?

The Day of My Birth!

Yesterday, October 5th, was my birthday in New Zealand. Today, October 5th, is my birthday in America. One of the great things about living here is I get to celebrate x2. Are you jealous?
It was a great day. Shawn made me breakfast. The breakfast consisted of: eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast and LEMON CAKE!

After breakfast we enjoyed ourselves some dark chocolate.

He took the day off of school and we headed to the east coast to a place called Tauranga.

We walked along the beach into town ate lunch and had gelato. We watched the surfers and kite surfers. I learned a lot about waves and surfing. Shawny boy is a great teacher of the ocean things.

We then stopped by some waterfalls. There was supposed to be a hike but we couldn't find it so we turned around. However, this little gem of a find was beautiful. We will be back.

 When we arrived home there were flowers on our door step from my parents.

I also opened a card from my Grandma and Grandpa Spanos. They are so sweet. We ended the day with skyping with my mom and Case and tacos with homemade salsa. Does it get much better than that? I say not.

Tramps and Rides

Last Friday, September 30, after school Shawn and I jumped on the tramp and went on a bike ride. I have not jumped on a tramp since the good ole days of Heber. It was pure bliss. I couldn't stop laughing. I really thought that I may pee my pants. Shawn found it to be entertaining as well, but I believe he was more entrained by me than the whole jumping up and down. We got off the tramp and got the bikes out of the garage. The people we are house sitting for also have a love for bikes. We pumped up the tires and headed on our way. We passed a lady on the street and she said to us "you two are happy aren't ya?" Our faces must have been showing our joy. What a wonderful evening it was. 

P.S. There is more room on the tramp and also more bikes. You are welcome to join next time. I promise it will be a good time.