I am grateful the I live in a country that allows me to vote.

Yesterday Alan and I went and voted.

It felt great to walk out of the polls and realize that this is a privilige that not every country gets to experience.

I am grateful to all the people that have fought and died for our country so that we have the opportunity to express out opinions and vote.

P.S.  I learned today at school...while in my U.S. history class...that I am supposed to be teaching that this was a histroic election day.  I am glad that I have been apart of it!

Happy anniversary to this good looking couple!!!

It has already been three years.... and I can hardly believe it.  It really does seem like just yesterday Alan and I were driving back and forth visiting each other as we dated.  It seems like just yesterday when Alan knelt  on his knee and asked me to be his forever companion.  It seems like just yesterday when Alan and I were kneeling across from each other making sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father.  It seems like just yesterday that we started our journey as a forever family.

I am glad that I married the man that I did.  He is great!  He makes my life better!  He makes me want to be better everyday of my life!  He makes me want to make a difference in people's lives!  He makes me want to be a better daughter, sister, wife, and friend!  He makes me want to live the Gospel to the fullest!  But most of all He makes me want to be me! 

  I am grateful that Alan is the companion that I chose to support me through the bumpy roads of life.

I am grateful that Alan is the companion that I chose to celebrate the happy things in life.

I am grateful that Alan is the person that he is!

I love you Alan!! 

And I love that I get to spend eternity with you!

Favorite Candy into a Wreath!

I needed to come up with a halloween wreath to make to put up in our home.  I started my search online and found some wreaths that I like but I did not love them.  While we were up north the other weekend I ran across the Woman's Day Magazine with the most beautiful wreath ever... and the best part of the wreath is that is was made out of CANDY CORN!  I loved the look and I loved the fact that it used my favorite fall time candy.  So I went to work and this is what I came up with...

I am pretty happy with the results... 

Happy Fall time Decorating!

they are not kitties anymore...

Lola and Sully have grown up....

They are no longer the cute, smaller, cuddly kittens they used to be.

They are growing up!

 Here is SULLY!!!

Here is LOLA!!!

It has been amazing to Alan and I the amount of joy that these little guys have brought in to our life.

but along with the joy has come stress!!!

We love them and are glad that they are part of the Blake clan!!

Busy...Busy...Busy

Alan and I have been keeping ourselves very busy for the past couple weeks...

School has started and therefore busy schedules have started.  I wake up everyday at 5:30am... this is reminding me of seminary days.... and I normally get home from Austin at 4:30-5:00.  It has been a huge change in my life.  Heavenly Father has given me the strength and energy to make it through my days and enjoy my job here at Austin.

Alan has officially been hired on as a Pace Staff Member.  He will be working 3rd shift maintenance starting the beginning of November.  Right now Alan is training on 1st shift and I think he is kinda of scared to start over nights.  I will be scared being at home at night by myself.  But we will get through this like we have gotten through so much together.  Alan is grateful for this job opportunity and knows that is is a blessing from our Heavenly Father that he was able to be employed so quickly after graduating school.

Last weekend we traveled up north to stay at the cabin, go to a wedding, and visit my Uncle Jerry up in Duluth.  It was absolutely gorgeous up north.  The fall leaves were all the perfect color.  It made the driving bare-able because I was just fascinated by the beauty our Heavenly Father has given us on this earth.

Last weekend was also General Conference for the church.  Alan, myself, and my parents missed it because we were up north, but Alan and I have enjoyed spending our mornings and evenings listening to the words of the prophets, apostles, and church leaders.  We feel so blessed to know that we have a living prophet on the earth.  We feel so blessed that we are able to listen to his guidance and follow the pathway that our Christ has shown us.  The conference talks so far have been only up-lifting and edifying.  Alan and I are looking forward to many more morning and nights snuggled together and listening to conference. 

As we look towards the weekend we are planning on a temple date, bug bombing our home (story to come), decorating for Halloween, and making an adorable Halloween wreath(pictures to come when I have it completed).
 

Saturday date with Alan

Since this was my first Saturday of the school year... Alan decided that we needed to have some fun and no stress.  So he took me to the gun range for a date.

AND WE HAD A BLAST!

We went to the...

I am a pretty good shot... if I do say so myself!

Al putting up targets to shoot at.

Here's Al shooting the judge!!!

Thanks Al for a fun Saturday day date!

Al caught a BIG one!!!

We went to the cabin this weekend and Alan caught a big northern and the best part is that he caught it off the dock.... I am not quite sure that I will be jumping off that dock any time soon!!!  It was a beautiful and relaxing weekend up north.  It was a great way to de-stress before school and a new job start.

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

out on the lake

one of the big bon fires that we had on the beach...

Al's a fishin'

beach view of the lake at night!

We will miss the relaxation and fresh air so long....Till we meet again cabin!