Welcome again!

It is one of my goals this year to blog much more often-like every week or even multiple times a week. This feels like a tall order, until I look at some of the other blogs I follow/read and these incredible people women/wives/mothers with careers are blogging almost every day. If they can do it, surely I can too.

So here goes-I plan to try and include much more than what we did/where we went (or where we didn't go and what we didn't do). Maybe some crafts? Some decorating? Less pictures of dogs? (yea right).

First off, the changes I keep ever so slyly hinting about...

1. Kevin was done with school/graduated in December (good job babe!) He had already had a few interviews that obviously didn't pan out, so we figured that I would continue to work at Hanover (for the best bosses ever) while he looked for something "up here" in Chico, or elsewhere. Well what do you know, he applied for a position with a local company, Butte Steel Inc., got an interview a little over a week later, and was offered a job on the spot! It was one of those -whoa-  moments and days.

Kev came into my office after his interview, looking all handsome and fancy in his suit, and the ladies I work with put it simply but oh-so-correctly, sometimes things don't work out (the other interviews) for a reason. Here we are, in a terrible economy, both working full-time right out of college. We couldn't ask for much more than that. Are we going to be rich? No. Are we stoked? YES!

Maybe it isn't every Chico State student's dream to stay and work play after graduating, but it was ours and were livin' it. So moving on..

2. We're moving! Two paychecks means a bigger place, thank goodness. Right after Kev started working, I started looking for a place with a yard and two bedrooms. A fenced, big yard. Oh, and a dishwasher would be nice, as would central heat/AC (we haven't had either in years). Closer to work would be great too. Well, there we are a few days later putting a deposit down on a two bedroom/two bathroom place LITERALLY 5 minutes from work.

Oh, did I mention that Kev works LITERALLY 1 minute from my office? I didn't, but it is perfect.

Back to the new place, it has a washer and dryer (that must work better than what we have now, which basically don't), a fireplace!, a huge fenced yard and separate fenced garden, too many closets to count (5 or 6), a carport (a compromise), central heat/AC, dishwasher, etc. It is not the most beautiful or stylish place - but that's what Pinterest is for! We are going to start moving things in next weekend - can't wait!

3. Bodie and Lily (aka B&L, Bo Bo and Wiwy) have a forever home -- Ours. We have seen these puppies go from 5 and 7 pound little 8-week-old nuggets, to very sick/near death with parvo-virus, to thriving parvo-survivors (not all dogs are so lucky), to happy/healthy/crazy almost 10-month old pups. We still have NO idea what they are (mommy probably got around) but we love them anyways. They drive us nuts, they rule the roost, and they insist on chewing their bones on the couch - but that's what owning a dog is all about. So here they are..

b & l at 8 weeks and almost 10 months

Sometimes we joke about how silly they look with those ears, how Lily must have been bred from a squirrel, and how Bodie has the worst doggy-farts known to man-kind. But mostly, they make us melt with their cuteness. Maybe one day they will be as well-behaved as they should be.

Remember, all you need is love...and a dog.

Love, K&M

soon-to-be S

Well, I said things could and would be changing! But turns out, not in the way I figured they would.

Chico has been incredibly warm this winter - evidenced by our weekly hikes in Bidwell with the pups. After our quick little Christmas jaunt to the Bay Area, we were soon back up here, hiking (sweating) in the 60-something° weather and letting the dogs frolic in Horseshoe Lake.

We traveled back to the Bay Area for New Year's to celebrate our 5 year anniversary with a Raider game (thanks Dennis!). We stayed with Kevin's mom, grandma, aunt and her family and rang in the New Year in San Leandro - an adventure in itself. 

Chloe's first New Year!

 

Pups' first New Year!

   

We met up with Daniel, Ryan and Nicole to tailgate and headed into my first NFL game! It was exhausting but so much fun. I got to see Sea-bas in action (Polish pride) and cheer my butt off  (they lost). Happy 5th Year together, Babe!

  

   

 

So we headed back up here and as Kevin transitioned from being a full-time construction management student to looking for full-time work in construction, we continued our happy, simple, little life.

Not going to lie - some things were great about having a stay-at-home boyfriend. I came home from work to clean dishes, vacuumed carpets, clean laundry, and so on. But Kev likes to feel productive, so we worked on sending out resumes and applying for jobs pretty much anywhere.  As everyone close to us knows, we love it here and I love the people that I work for, and while we were of course willing to move if it meant a good job, we would have loved to find something here.

Well Kevin had an interview with a company in San Leandro a few weeks ago. That weekend I drove home early on Saturday morning to have a Spa Day with my mom and 3 sister-in-laws (our Christmas gifts). We had a wonderful day at the Livermore Spa, preceded by a very classy brunch at Ihop, where we indulged in pedicures and massages. 

As this was my first professional massage, I had no idea that my hair would feel like a jar of olive oil afterwards. So after a quick shower, myself, and some of the fam went to Forno Veccio in Pleasanton for a wonderful dinner. We topped off the night with some Trivia Pursuit and yummy wine.

I left bright and early the next morning to come back to Chico. The drive to and from Chico to Pleasanton is so engrained in our minds now - its almost relaxing. Although tele-porting would still be easier. Well anyways, Kev and I planned to head to Bidwell on that Sunday afternoon to let the dogs burn off some energy and enjoy the beautiful day that it was. 

We drove to the park with the three dogs in tow (we were fostering Tru from OTCHS to give him a break from the shelter) and joined many other families in Upper Park - it was seriously a gorgeous day. As the dogs ran around Horseshoe Lake, getting muddy and wet and sandy, I looked at Kevin in total contentment and felt incredible lucky to be there, at that moment, with the person I love and dogs that I can't imagine life without. I was also feeling somewhat tired, from driving so much in the last 24 hours, and was not up for the longer hike up one of the trails that we normally take. So we were walking around the lake, chasing after Tru as he went to go meet all the other dogs, and throwing sticks for B&L to fetch from the water. 

Next thing I know, I am watching the dogs run around, and Kev says "Hey Babe" to get me to turn around. I turn around, and there he is, down on one knee holding the most beautiful ring, and asks me to marry him with the biggest smile on his face. 

OMG. I don't even think I said 'yes' right away. I was in such complete shock that all I could do was drop my jaw and say "oh my God." As my friends know, I have been dreaming of that moment for so long. I have known for quite a while (years) that Kevin is 'the one.' And here it was finally, and I just couldn't believe he was actually proposing! The tears started flowing, and he was down, in the mud, on one knee still-and we shared that moment that is so indescribable. It could not have been more perfect. I honestly did not have a care in the world-we were in one of our favorite places, I had no idea where the dogs were, or who was watching, or what we would do next-but I said 'YES' and we just relished that moment for as long as we could.

January 29th, 2012

Kev's dirty/mud knee

Our first engagement card, from G&G Landucci

 Writing this now, it has been almost a month since we got engaged and I still can't believe it. We wrangled up the pups and the phone calls began. I called my mom first, who was also quite shocked (it has been over five years..), and we called our entire families and called/texted our closest friends. On the car ride home from Bidwell, Kev told me all about how he had talked to his dad and mine in the last couple of weeks, and my Dad gave him the go-ahead to pop the question. We decided to head to go out to dinner at the Sierra Nevada Brewery, but first things first, I needed a manicure!!! DUH.

Pretty, huh? I think so. Anyways, this past month has just been nothing short of wonderful. We are relishing our excitement about being engaged and truly blessed by the kind words we have received from our families, especially our grandparents. Although we both come from families of divorce, we have been lucky enough to witness the second marriages of our parents and the marriages of our grandparents, who have all celebrated 50 (and more) years. We look forward to as many years together as God gives us.

Plus, there are so many more changes to share! More to come..

Here we come!

Well, we are almost on our way home for the holidays. Our silly little tree a-top the dog crate is officially dwarfed by the presents ready to be given to family and friends!

In the next three days our itenerary should resemble something like this:

Chico - Angels Camp - Livermore - Pleasanton - Castro Valley - Pleasanton - Livermore - Modesto - Chico.

The pup's (Bodie and Lily) itinerary looks something like this:

Home - Wacky Wags Boarding and Daycare - Home!

We will miss you pups, but you will be well-taken care of. See everyone soon!

Saturday in the Park

Yesterday we took the pups on a little hike in Upper Park. They loved it! We didn't go far, but it was as beautiful as a December day could be.

After the hike, we let the pups frollic around. This whole area is off-leash but we get a little nervous, but they got to meet some doggy friends who were oh-so-well-behaved. Maybe these pups can learn a thing or two!

The water was pretty much freezing, but Lily went for it. Bodie, who loved swimming in the pool at Grandma's a few months ago wasn't so sure.

Anyhoo, if the weather holds, we'll be back soon. Good luck to Kevin on his LAST test this Tuesday and pray that he lands a great job soon!