Why I've been slacking...

So, there are multiple reasons it has taken me so long to update.... the biggest reason being that

WE ARE PREGNANT!!!!!

I haven't really been feeling great enough to blog lately. I am 11 weeks along and the baby is due February 12th. We could not be more excited. I have had 2 appointments already and the first one, we were able to see the baby as a little peanut and then today we were able to hear the heartbeat!! I really want it to be a girl and Nate really wants it to be a boy. I guess we will see soon who will win this one. I am feeling a little better now but i think I still have a week or two before the sickness passes hopefully.The second reason is that we have been moving. With Nate's new job, we have to live in the apartment that is set aside as the RA apartment. Everything is moved in but I am still going through and organizing. I have a goal to make our apartment feel like a home instead of some old college family housing apartment. We will see how that goes. It's the same size and layout bue we are able to do alot more because there is more carpet. I love it.

That is the latest and greatest for us, along with the other posts below.

Weekend in the Valley

Grandma and Grandpa Nielson came home this last week from their 2 year mission! We were able to go down and see them and also my aunt and uncle as well. It was so awesome to see them and hear some of their stories. Sadly I did not take any pictures with them...i don't know why. Maybe the heat got to me. We did however have a few highlights.

We bought a new desktop computer!!

We went shopping and bought new swimsuits which we took swimming that afternoon with our family!!

4th of July

For the 4th, we headed to Show Low! The marching band at the high school pretty much is always in the parade and Nate thought it would be fun to go back and play with Mr. Pratt and the band and so it was an awesome excuse to go and see our family. I didn't have to work on friday the 3rd, so we went down on Thursday night and just hung out mostly. We went shopping and went and saw all of our old friends.The 4th was so much fun. We woke up that morning and Nate headed into town early and then I took my little brother and sister to watch the parade with me. The parade wasn't too bad. There were some things I could have lived without, but I love the 4th. Nate was nice enough to let me buy a new outfit so I had red, white and blue all on the same outfit. I loved it and Nate had fun playing and being in the parade. When the parade was over, we went back to the Whipple's house to have watermelon with the band and just to relax from sitting in the sun.

The rest of the day consisted of eating food and watching fireworks. Oh and I got to take a nap too which was pretty much amazing. Later that night we did go to fireworks. I have always gone to the high school or primary school, but this time Nate decided that we should go to the airport and park our car there and watch from far away. We could see really good but the sound was delayed alot. It was nice to just relax in our car though and also be able to get out really easily.
The whole weekend was really nice and totally worth the drive. Thanks to my mom for letting us crash and eat food with her.

Dutch Oven cooking

Some friends came into town for the weekend and so a bunch of us decided to all pitch in some food and have a dutch oven dinner. The food turned out amazing. We played a game of Canasta and played with the babies and just hung out. Thanks so much for putting it together Kimbi and Stephanie.

New calling/Camp

So, I have been way behind in blogging, but I did get a new calling in church! It was really unexpected, but I am excited. I am now working in the Young Women as the Beehive advisor. I get to teach the lessons and help planning a mutual activity once a month. There aren't very many beehives in this ward, but that just means I get to know them better. I realized that I miss my little primary class but I know I'm suppose to be there.

Since I got this calling, I of course got to go to Girls Camp. I was really bad with the whole taking pictures thing, but I had fun. I only got to go for one day because I had to work, but in that day we did alot. We played games the night we got there which included Ride the Pony, and something with candy and putting on clothes. There was a little devotional and then bed. Nate came with me to be one of the priesthood holder people because they needed extra people for the hike we had the next day. The hike wasn't as long as I thought it would be, but it was beautiful and we stopped at a little pond thing at the end of a river and swam there. It was perfect. After we were done, we went back to camp and had lunch then we had a water fight. Of course, it's not camp unless there is a water fight. After, that we had a scavenger hunt which the team which I was on totally won!!! Yay for the green team!!!! Then there was dinner and Friday night is the best night of camp. It is testimony night and everybody got to go around and say something about camp and also their testimony. The spirit was there and it was awesome! It made me remember my years back at girls camp. I left that night to come home and that was the end of it for me. It was alot of fun and I am looking forward to keeping my calling.

Promotion

I got a promotion at work last week! It was my one year review and instead of getting a little raise, I got a promotion!!!

I am now a Payroll/Financial Assistant.

This means I will still do any Accounts Payable stuff that my coworker needs help with and I will also now be helping the Payroll person and the Financial Analysist. I will someone be a Jr. Accountant now. I am really excited and it's a great job.

HE GOT IT!

Nate got the RA job on Thursday!!!!

It is such a blessing for us and he is really excited too.

We don't know for sure when we are moving into the RA apartment, but I am excited to move and try something new.

He will basically be helping the residents with the different things that they need. If someone gets locked out or any other problems.

Congratulations honey! I'm so proud of you.

All by myself

Yesterday, I was able to go down to Show Low and go to our aunt's wedding reception. I drove down in the morning and hung out with my mom and family for most of the day. I was able to do a little shopping and I found a beadspread for our awesome new king size bed that we will be getting soon. I can't wait for it to come!! Anyways, we got the shopping done and then we went back to hang out at home until the reception. We planted some tomatoes in the garden, which took alot longer than we thought it would and the directions were really dumb. We got done and got all showered and ready to go then we all went to the reception. It was really pretty and everybody looked so nice. I was really glad we got to go and tell them congratulations. I didn't get too many pictures but here are the few.

the family for pictures

rachelle and me