Wow. I stink at blogging.

Well I was going to try to post about all the things I've missed. But hello that would take forever. So just to highlight- my best friend Betsy Broshar got married in June she is now Betsy Pollastrini..yay! It was a blast! We also went to Indiana to see Jake come home and celebrate Rachel graduating! Overall it was a fabulous summer. Maybe later I'll post some pictures but it's already November so I wouldn't count on it:) Just being honest! Anyway so I'll just post about what's coming up!

We've been having people ask us what we're going to do in the next few months and it seems to be getting confused so I'm posting to clear the air!:) Next week we are going to UTAH! for Thanksgiving!:) YAYY!! We're so excited to go there and have family around for the Holiday and have our last hoorah in Utah. Sad but true and we want to spend as much time with the family as possible!

We're going to have LOTS of family to see- my brother Adam, my sis-in-law Stephanie and my nephew Jack are there for a little while and I'm suuuuper excited to see them. I swear Jack grows an inch every day! He's such a little boy now and not a baby anymore which is sad but also very exciting! We're also going to stay with Seth and Megan and play with Scarlett! Davin and Aubrey and Preston will be there with Sandy and Steve and Sarah and we can't forget Rachel!!! and Dave:) I speak for myself but I'm sure Todd feels the same I am SOOOOOO excited to spend time with the family!!

After Thanksgiving Todd will have finals soon after and I will start PACKING!! and packing and packing and packing. It's going to become my favorite past time..not. And the reason we're packing is because Todd is GRADUATING! yee haw:) well sort of. He's going to be walking December 16th with a Bachelors in Communications. He'll officially be graduated after his internship. Which brings us to the next order of business!

We're going to IOWA! We will head to Iowa after graduation and spend the holidays with family and then my parents have rented a condo in Ft. Walton Beach Florida for 2 weeks in January and obviously we are going with them!:)So Todd will officially start his internship January 18th at Mudd Advertising:) He'll intern for about a month or 5 weeks and then hopefully we'll find a great job somewhere fun!

Lots of things coming up! Right now we're just kind of playing the hurry up and wait game which is annoying but it happens! So hopefully I'll be better at updating my blog when I get home and have a half decent computer to work with:) I'll post pictures as soon as I have anything fun!:)

September 11th- We Remember!

Since today marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 I wanted to share an article I read about today and just take a few moments to remember those who died but also those who are still fighting for our wonderful nation.

This article comes from Leslie Clark and Steven Thomma from McClatchy newspapers:

With simple and solemn ceremony, the United States marked the 10th Anniversary of the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks Sunday in emotional tributes that recalled the sacrifice of thousands lives, not just on that day a decade ago, but in the bloody conflicts that have raged since.

Americans of every stripe from Presidents to firefighters to average citizens, paused to honor the dead in churches, at the site of the attacks, and in living rooms across the country. Church bells rang. Prayers were read aloud. Choirs sang.

In New York, the focus was on those killed in the World Trade Center, their names now engraved on bronze panels that will long bear witness to the tragedy.

In Pennsylvania, it was on the passengers who sacrificed their lives seizing United Flight 93 from terrorists before it could hit the Capitol or the White House.

And at the Pentagon in Virginia, eyes moistened at the memory not only of the 184 killed there, but also for the 6,000-plus members of the armed services who've died in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Throughout there was a sense of quiet resolve, even pride that the United States did not buckle as terror mastermind Osama Bin Laden had hoped.

"Al Qaida and Bin Laden never imagined that the 3,000 would inspire 3 million to put on the uniform and hardened the resolve of 300 million Americans," Vice President Joe Biden said at the Pentagon.

"We have remained at war ever since", said Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff "visiting upon our enemies the vengence they were due."

It was the first September 11th anniversary that bin Laden, killed by Navy Seals in May, could not watch from hiding.

In perhaps the most moving tribute of the day, family members in New York read aloud 2,983 names-2,977 for those killed in 2001 in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and 6 for those killed during a bomb attack at the World Trade Center in 1993.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." President Barack Obama said ath the World Trade Center site in New York, reading from Psalms 46.

"Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though it's waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with it's swelling."

At the Pentagon Vice President Joe Biden praised the courage of the family members of the 184 who died there saying- "I know these memorials-and you've been through many- are bittersweet moments for you, because as you sit here right now, unlike a month ago, everythings coming back in stark relief. It's not a thought, it's precise. You remember that God-awful empty feeling, you remember being sucked into your own chest and that feeling of hollowness. But I want you to know something else," he added, "Your physical presence here today gives hope to thousands of Americans who under different circumstances are trying to come to grips with the losses you had".

Since September 11th, 2011 more than 6,200 members of the armed services have died. Let's also remember them this day!

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave!- Elmer Davis

One of my favorite hymns/patriotic songs is "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" we sang it in All-State in high school and there was always one verse that stuck out to me and just the men sang it and it was BEAUTIFUL and I think it applies here really well:)

"In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea with a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me, as He died to make men holy let us live to make men free while God is marching on! Glory glory hallelujah! Glory glory hallelujah! Glory glory hallelujah! While God is marching on!"

Overwhelming!

So let me start this post by saying I'm kind of a whimp. I've been feeling like throwing myself a pity party for the past couple of weeks, and I guess Todd would probably tell you I have been:p Some new things going on in our life:
#1 Our owners are tearing down all the houses on our side of the street starting April 15th. Sad because we love our big spacious apartment that's more like a house then an apartment with our garage and huge windows...BUT such is life:) that brings me to..
#2 We're MOVING:) just in town so nobody get any ideas, I wish we were moving away from Idaho but we're just moving to a different apartment. While this apartment is going to be smaller (kind of an understatement) I'm really excited to move! I'm excited to be in a neighborhood instead of surrounded by students (even though the location of our current apartment was very convenient for Todd) and we get to de-junk our stuff and only keep what we really need. PLUS we will have a washer and dryer and dishwasher! Hallelujah!! Todd's really really not excited that it's smaller but I don't mind so much it's just the two of us and it will be cheaper to live there. And it's actually in a complex so I'm excited to meet people and to have managers that actually take care of stuff!!!
#3 Todd is almost done with this semester about three weeks left and then he has a week off until he starts spring semester! yippee:) We're really hoping he's only got this spring semester and then fall semester and then he'll be DONEZO!:) (except his internship) but it gets kind of dicey because he's got 2 or 3 credits he's not sure where to fit in..but we're not staying here for 2 or 3 credits:p
So that basically sums up our lives as of right now..packing our old place, cleaning, moving to our new place all while todd finishes up the semester and starts a new one. I will take LOTS of pictures of our new place once we get settled and post them I PROMISE!!!:)
xoxoxo Catie N Todd

Finally March!

Obviously I'm not very good at this posting thing and I hardly ever take pictures which I also understand is annoying because I really like to see pictures:) but my life isn't very exciting:p I am SUPER glad it's march! Hopefully this means the weather will at least stay warm enough to melt some snow!!!:) Plus March means St. Patty's day which I LOVE because of my Irish heritage!:) I'm thinking about decorating my house in all GREEN!:) which also happens to be one of my favorite colors anyway...maybe we'll start dying all of our drinks and food green too that would be AWESOME!:) So just so everyone knows the month of March is going to be about melting snow and green:) let's hope;)

Oh February

So it's February...such a short month but such a big PAIN! It's been freeeezing here and by freezing I mean your eye ball juice freezes when you walk outside!!:p I've been working full time which is such a HUGE blessing but I'm used to working every single day vs. only 2 or 3 times a week. It's been really fun getting to know new people and not so fun dealing with angry people:) It is nice to be able to learn how best to deal with rude annoying people but come on who ever REALLY wants experience with that?:p
Todd had a birthday this month YIPEE!:) he still tells people he turned 23...not true he's 24!:p If we're starting that this early then I call only being 21 for the rest of my life!:) Todd also has continued to go to school full time and work..sometimes:) he joined a basketball team and plays with some of his buddies which he LOVES!! and I love that he's getting exercise and not bugging me all the time to play with him;)
Some things to look forward to: Seth and Megan and Aubrey and Davin are gonna come up with the kiddies to visit next weekend! YAYY!!! I'm so excited to see them and spend some quality time with the fam!:) Also Todd's pretty close to half way through the semester so there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!!
Other then that we're just hangin out trying to keep warm and waiting for the sun to come back into our lives!! :)

BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TODD!! He's 24 today! practically an old man! He gets to spend his day going to class and taking tests! Such is the life of a responsible college student! (and a wife that wouldn't let him skip;)) So if you have time give him a call or a text:)

UPDATE:)

Hey everyone! Obviously I have a major problem of not posting on my blog. I'm hoping to be better but that's what I always say and it never happens! So since the last time I posted a LOT has happened.
#1. The holidays! We weren't able to go home for the holidays unfortunately because I had a job in retail and that's the busiest time of year! Especially at a TOY store! :p So we had Thanksgiving alone together with a big turkey and all the sides:) That night I had to work a 10 hour shift..no fun but I got a great deal on an IPOD that my parents got me for Christmas...I actually waited to open and play with it till Christmas! I know I'm surprised I made it that long too!:) Then it was constant work and finals all the way up until Christmas! Todd had a few weeks off so he was SUPER happy but SUPER bored:) Christmas came and we had a WONDERFUL day!:) We opened presents in the morning and Todd got lots of clothes that were desperately needed! And lots of socks which of course he's lost by now! boys. I wish they had a rolling of the eyes face..that would be me!:) Overall the holidays were good even though I had a few tears on Christmas...we did get to talk to our families so it was alright!
#2. My best friend Megan got MARRIED!!! yayyy! So I got to see my nephew Jack and Adam and Stephanie because they flew out to Utah for the event. (Megan married Stephanies brother Phil) sooo we're basically related:p It was a super short trip but it was AMAZING! beautiful and we got to see the family for a little bit right before Christmas. While we were there I got to talk to an old friend who was doing the photography for the wedding and she told me about a job in Rexburg that she just quit because she had to move. Bada Bing Bada Boom!
#3. I got a new JOB!:) YAYYY! we've been praying for so long that I would be able to find a job in Rexburg even if it was just part time but the Lord blessed us abundantly and I was able to find a full time job in Rexburg...it's only about 10 minutes away instead of the 35-50 minutes I was driving before! It's really nice! I now work for Salt Lake Express which is a company that shuttles people from BYU-Idaho to Salt Lake and a myriad of other places:) I'm just a reservationist but it's so nice to have a full time job IN town! and Todd's thrilled..he says it's been his DREAM for me to get a full time job:p I don't know if I agree but I am happy!!:)

Well that should at least give a brief update...We're pretty boring so our lives consist of work and school and not a whole lot in between:) I'll post some pictures in the VERY near future!:)