August

So August was a crazy little month for us. I finished up my job at Culver's. Really, I cannot say enough good about that job. In some very personal and literal ways, it saved me. I found friends. I was stretched. And I felt a part of something good. I really miss Kristin, my boss. She is just amazing. 

Ok, so after that, we packed. And then my family came into town for our Biggs Family Reunion. It was a little bit crazy hosting and packing and leaving for a trip all at the same time. But we did it. One of the very first things we did was that my sister Tracy and I ran our very first 5K. We trained all summer for it, her in Indiana, and me in Utah. We wish it could have been some official race, but schedules just didn't work that way. So thanks to my nephew Ryan's awesome watch, I was able to map out our own course. I had also really wanted our family to be there at the end, but it just didn't work out that way. Joe and Brek were there; Joe was our timer and Brek was just playing on the playground. It was really great to do it with Tracy. All summer it was nice to compare our runs with each other, and help each other stay motivated. I have always hated running, and waking up early to exercise has NEVER been my thing. But with work and everything else going on this summer, I did it. I trained. I almost totally stayed with the training schedule, but made it up when I got behind. I even kept training while on vacation in California and in Wyoming. We ran the whole way. I hit my roadblock at about mile 2, but having my sister there really helped, and we kept each other going. I believe we finished in 38:40 or something to that effect. I really thought it was going to be longer, so I was really happy with the result.

A few hours after our run, we got all my family together for a Sesame Street Birthday bash for Brek and Rori. Initially, we had wanted everyone in character shirts, but that also didn't work out, so we just wore bright colors. Well, our family was all in Elmo shirts. I got the idea for the veggie/fruit plates off of Pinterest. I made smaller versions, which was actually a lot harder than I expected, but I think they turned out awesome. So in light of Pinterest, I nailed it!

Anna and Rori

Our 2-year-olds
Anna, Rori, and Brek

My beautiful nieces. Love these girls!
Amy, Heather, Adelynne, and Katie

Here's the cake. I forgot to get a picture from the front. Not that it was anything special. Chocolate cake and white frosting. In the center is an Elmo figurine holding his goldfish Dorothy. Rori was our "Dorothy". We got the candles lit and sang

Brek was a champ blowing out his candles

Then he blew out Rori's too.

From the party we went up to my family reunion. I didn't take many pictures at all. I'm really not so good at that. But we had a blast. Love all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. I was surprised that I was able to not panic and think about moving too much while we were away.

Brek hanging out on Adelynne

Luckily, my cousin Mel got some shots and I had her send them to me. First, here's Uncle Marte, Aunt Diana, and cousin Mel, with Brek as we're all gathering for the huge family shot. I love our shirts this year, btw.

This is my dad and all of his siblings

The goofy siblings shot. Even Uncle Willy has a funny face.

Joe chilling with Max

And here's my family. I just got this one printed off to go on my wall.
 Uncle Willy and Aunt Lanea are in the background.
Back Row: Joe, Grandpa, Grandma, Mark, Eliana
Middle Row: Me, Brek, Dustin, Tracy, David, Anna, Cody
Front Row: Adelynne, Amy, Rori, Heather, Colby, and Katie

Joe, Brek, and I left the reunion Friday night. Saturday morning we got the moving truck, loaded up our storage unit down in Provo, and then came back up to our apartment in West Jordan. When my family got back from the reunion, they helped us load up the truck. We had thought people from church were going to come help us too, but only 1 person showed up, so I'm glad my dad and brothers insisted on loading up as much as they did. My family is awesome! Then I took them all out for Culver's before they all headed on their way, some home, and some to see other family or friends.

On Monday we officially made our drive. We left the state of Utah, and made our way to Nebraska. I had Brek with me in our Jeep, and Joe drove the moving truck. We made lots of stops. I'm not so good at driving long distances, and I get really antsy being awake in the car for that long, so stopping a lot helped. Brek did pretty well; he mostly just watched Elmo movies.

We actually drove up to the wrong house. (Gps and mapquest told us we were going to a different house - oops.) But the lady at the house we thought was ours, plus 2 guys from our new ward that were already waiting for us to help us unpack, directed us to this beauty:

Our First House

Well, we're just renting, but still. We've always been in apartments (minus living with Joe's mom, and our first 2 months house-sitting for Joe's brother), but still, you get what I mean. This is the 6th move we've made since we've been married. The house is pretty old and has lots of character. High ceilings. Old doors that thankfully, Brek can't open yet. Nice big open front room. Very thin and long closets, especially Brek's. Ceiling fans, plus heat and air conditioning. Nice kitchen with lots of cabinet space. New fridge and new flat top stove. Tons of closets. Basement that isn't very functional but *maybe* might one day become a play room. Noisy floors. :)

We had 10-12 people show up and help us unload the truck. They are all from our new ward. It sure didn't take long, and they set up our beds for us so we could at least get a good night's sleep. The next day the Relief Society presidency made us dinner and brought it over. Our new neighbor also brought us over cookies and let us know that she "knew all about us and who we were." They are really sweet neighbors, and have the most beautiful yard.

Brek spent the first night in his crib, and then after that decided he wanted to sleep in his toddler car bed, and he hasn't turned back. It's pretty awesome. If he gets out of bed and comes to the door, we can just tell him to get back in bed and we hear the pitter patter as he runs and jumps back in bed.

The first few weeks we would hang out on the front porch in the evenings, and people would say hello and wave has they walked/rode/drove by. Super cute little town life. Everyone knows everyone. For the most part, we walk everywhere here in town.

Joe had his first day of work on Friday, his birthday. He officially had students the following Wednesday. For his birthday we drove into Scottsbluff and had dinner at Chili's.

Joe's new job has a lot of "new" aspects. He is just teaching band, no orchestra. The high school band is small - about 10 kids, but that is pretty norm for Joe. He has a junior high band (which he can't get to stop talking), and a 5th grade and a 6th grade band. He also helps teach the 4-6th grade choirs. The choir teacher has been a joy to work with. Such a friendly, nice, and helpful guy. He's always getting treats for Brek at the games, and has lots of guidance and advice for Joe. Joe is also teaching drum line, which he feels like he knows nothing about, (but really, he's doing great.) Joe also gets to help do lunch duty for the young elementary kids, and I sure enjoy hearing his stories about what the kindergartners said or did at lunch time. And all the kids in town let Joe know when they see him out and about in town, especially if he has Brek with him.

Brek is loving have a yard to play in, 2 parks close by, and lots of running room inside too. All the school kids think he is just totally awesome, and they will even play with him at the park when they are there.

I guess that really sums things up for August. I'll just end with this awesome "risky business" shot of Brek. He sure is a cutie!

August thru October

I've realized that I've been REALLY bad at taking pictures these past few months. Not that there was a whole lot to document and remember, but even the day-to-day moments, I've just missed out on capturing on the camera. For example, I didn't take a single picture at my Biggs Family Reunion in August. It sure was fun to be surrounded by so many aunts, uncles, and cousins, along with my brothers, nieces, and my parents. 

Joe had a birthday in August. It was a busy week and he was back to work, so we celebrated a little differently. Instead of cake, we made homemade maple bars. At least I put a candle on one, we sang, and I got a picture.

Then, Joe and I used a gift card we've had a for a couple years, and went to lunch at Market Street Grill. We had a delicious spinach dip for an appetizer. Joe had some steak medallions that were melt in your mouth. I had a halibut crab cake thing that with every bite I felt like I was in heaven. I finally remembered to pull out my camera to document our desserts. They even put a candle on Joe's strawberry shortcake.

I had a delicious key lime pie. Yum! We'll definitely be SAVING up so we can go again. (I've never had a meal - and mind you, it was lunch - cost that much. But totally worth it!) I'm determined that food in heaven is going to be catered by these guys because it was. that. good.

Brek got a hold of a sucker. Something tells me that he enjoyed it.

Love that face!

Brek and I finally got to go up the mountain with Joe for his last day of polka. It was quite the adventure of a day. A half hour in, everyone at the resort had to be evacuated to the parking lot due to a bomb threat. We were out in the snow and cold for 2 1/2 hours. Considering the situation, Brek did pretty well. The unfortunate part was that the first thing he did was find a freezing cold puddle and start playing. He didn't have any idea how cold and wet he was, and was more upset that I wouldn't let him keep playing in the water. I'm glad I brought a change of clothes for him, but that was all up in the green room, along with his diaper bag, because of course, he also had a poopy diaper and had to sit in it for an hour or so. By the end of it, he was quite miserable. But we survived. And we enjoyed listening to Joe play some polka.

Joe has been getting to play some alp horn quite regularly on his polka days. He really enjoys it and wishes and hopes that some day we can afford to buy him one.

Joe is the farthest one back in the sweater.

Brek enjoyed playing and running around while Joe played.

 

 

 

 

A couple weeks ago Brek was playing around with our laundry basket. And then he got stuck.

It's hard to see, but he eventually thought it was pretty funny.

And then I helped him get out, and he was REALLY EXCITED!!!

Brek had his first day of high school.

I've been subbing occasionally at Joe's school. Usually, Joe's mom watches Brek in the morning, and then around lunch time he goes to our friend's house so he can play with other kids. He loves it.
But on this particular day, Joe's mom was out of town, and we were flying to California that night anyway, and we didn't want to do a bunch of driving back and forth, so we just brought Brek with us.

He enjoyed most of it.

Brek's favorite part of the day was conducting the orchestra with his own baton while sitting on Joe's lap. I wish I had gotten a picture of it, but I was sitting in the wrong place. Most of the kids were able to still focus despite such an adorable distraction. A couple periods he came and hung out with me in the English class I was teaching. He generally thought that was boring but did enjoy drawing on the white board and throwing paper airplanes and my library cards.

All in all, not a bad day for the little guy. But I am pretty glad I've got a FEW more years before he goes off to high school for real. And the best part of the day was flying to see Grandma and Grandpa.

Stay tuned...

Paradigm High School 2009 Prom

Well, for those of you that don't know, Paradigm HS, where Joe works, really is a "different kind of think." For the second year in a row, Joe and I were able to attend the school's prom, or Feast and Ball as it is called, at the Thanksgiving Point Gardens.

Here Joe and I are as we got in the car and headed up to dinner.

It was a beautiful, and really busy day that began with Joe's brass band rehearsal, my primary activitiy about being missionaries, and then we went down to look at new apartments. Then we came back, and I spent an hour and a half curling my hair at Joe's request, which I do think turned out quite cute; then we left.

This year, the teachers were able to eat first, and then we all watched the students come into the room so we could notice and comment on their attire. Pretty fun actually. It is a "no-date-required" event for the entire school; in fact, coming stag is encouraged. After dinner, everyone gets to meander thru the gardens while the tables and chairs are taken down and room is made for dancing late into the evening.

Joe thought I looked so cute in his tails. 

Of course, tho the day was beautiful, I was cold. 

Thank goodness for your date's jacket!

Here is my handsome date! 

The tulips were beautiful all throughout the Gardens.

This is in the "Secret Garden," our favorite part of the Gardens. Joe felt it was crucial to capture a photo of me spewing water. Eh, good times

Here's our cute little couple picture at the top of the waterfall. This is the one I looked best in at least, thus the reason I'm posting it.

Thankfully, our enjoyment of the evening did not end with a wonderful dinner, the beautiful scenery, and a lot of laughs at the drama of high schoolers. No, indeed. There was more...

Unbeknownst to the principal (who never would have let it happen HAD she known), a FLOOR SHOW was arranged for entertainment before the dance started. I think it was designed for the entertainment of the teachers, but the students seemed to like it too. Sadly, the pictures don't do it justice, but I'll post some of them anyway. We were sitting in the back, so most of the pictures are from behind. And they are blurry. Sorry. The dancers ranged from about age 10-18. They were pretty good too. It just seemed like a strange concept for prom, if you know what I mean.

And of course, we couldn't end the evening without some fun "romantic" pictures of us

I sure love this stud of mine!