The Kohl Chronicles

December Part Two

2012-01-27T15:57:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, Cameron and I went to Fresno to visit family and friends. Cameron went out a week before Christmas since he was off from school and work and was driving me nuts! :0)

While Cameron was gone I went to my very first college football bowl game! The New Mexico Bowl! It may not be the National Championship but everyone has to start somewhere. The Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau (where I work) was a sponsor so I got to enjoy the game with some of my awesome co-workers.

Wyoming vs Temple....it was a blowout...Temple won.

I flew out to California on Dec. 22nd. I had the pleasure of leaving during a blizzard....thank goodness I was going to sunny California!

View from my seat as they cleared the runway and de-iced the plane.

We spent a Dec. 22- January 2 in Fresno. It was great to see so many of our friends and family. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful people in out lives. Although I brought my camera, I didn't take very many pictures of our time in Fresno. I did manage to snap a picture of Cameron and I on Christmas day.

After New Years we made our way down to Anahiem for a little visit to the happiest place on earth! I made sure to get lots of pictures of Disneyland! We had never been to the park during Christmas time so it was really cool to see it decorated. Enjoy this little slideshow:

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. 2012 holds great things for us Kohls!

December Part 1

2012-01-22T15:07:00.000-08:00

December was quite a busy month for us Kohls! Here is part one:

As I mentioned in the post before, my Grandfather passed away in December. The following weekend I went to Austin for a family get together to celebrate my Grandfather.. It was great to see my family and I know my Grandpa was there with us. Unfortunately that was the same week as finals so Cameron wasn't able to go.

It was a quick trip and I didn't take many pictures but I was able to attend my niece Jill's dance recital and I snapped a few photos of that. She was one of the candy cane dancers. So cute!

That is my nephew Charlie...he is pretty cute too!

Up next....our Christmas vacation...

A Life Well Lived

2011-12-14T10:23:00.000-08:00

On December 1 my Grandfather Homer passed away. He was 98 years old. Below is his obituary.

Cmdr. Homer Atkins Giddens, USN, Ret. Cmdr. Homer Atkins Giddens, USN, Ret., 98, of Austin, died December 1, 2011. He was born July 26, 1913 in White Rock, Texas to Ted Giddens and Mary Atkins. Homer enlisted in the U.S. Navy on January 6, 1934 and served on the USS Wasp, Colorado and Yorktown. He served as Flag Secretary for the Pacific Fleet; served on two Presidential Cruises under Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Galapagos Islands and the search for Amelia Earhart's plane in the Pacific. As a Personnel Officer he was instrumental in helping to modernize the Navy Personnel System through the use of punch card computers. While assigned to the Pentagon, he married Mary Jean Finney on August 13, 1947. After retiring from the Navy in 1963, he helped create the Civil Defense Office in Austin, setting up shelters and providing radiation detection training for area police and firefighters. Upon the closing of the Civil Defense Department, he transferred to the Texas State Dept. of Health, where he assisted in providing administrative support for health clinics. Upon retiring from the State of Texas, he sold real estate. Homer was an avid bridge player and volunteered as a tax preparer for senior citizens. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Michelle Giddens of Milford, NE; daughter Lynn LeCroix-Stewart of Austin; grandchildren, Jason and wife Susan, Natalie and husband Cameron, Rebecca, Katherine, Blake and Brandon and great-grandchildren Jill and Charlie. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean Giddens. Private family services are planned. Memorials may be made to the US. Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. 875 North Randolph Street, Suite 225 Arlington, VA 2203-1767.

To say he lived a long full life would not be doing him justice. As an adult I realize how lucky I am for having been so close to all of my Grandparents. So much of my childhood is filled with happy memories because of them.

This a picture of my grandparents on their wedding day in Washington DC on August 13, 1947.

Time Flies....

2011-10-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

When you are really busy and forget to blog for about 5 months! Here is an update:

June, July & August

To be honest I don't really remember July or August. I'm sure whatever I did involved lots of work and very little play.

September

Now this month I remember! Cameron started what will hopefully be his final year of school and we took a quick trip to Fresno to see our friends Jordan and Edlin get married.

The Happy Couple!

The Gang!

October

The first week of October is the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. The first weekend, Cameron had to work so my friend Libby and I went in the evening to the Balloon Glow. For those not familiar with the Balloon Fiesta, that is when the hot air balloons inflat and they glow in the dark. It was pretty cool!

The next weekend, my mom came out to visit us and go to the Balloon Fiesta! And of course I got sick so we didn't go to the Fiesta. We ended up staying home all weekend, watching movies and hanging out...which wasn't so bad. I miss living close to my parents, hopefully the next time we move (yes, there will be another move someday)

That is all for now! Hopefully I will have more exciting things to post about for November.

The Boys are Back In Town

2011-06-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

Well.....I survived....barely. Our friends Oliver, Anthony and Jordan came for a visit....a looonnnggg visit. They arrived Saturday May 28th and left June 5th. While it was nice to see them, I am happy to have my house back.

They drove 14 hours to play on their computers!

On Sunday, we drove to Santa Fe for the day. We walked around the Plaza and had lunch at a fancy outdoor restaurant.

There was an interactive art exhibit taking place at the Plaza. You could draw a picture on a piece of sheet music and then it would be placed on the clothes line and sent to a group of musicians, who would interrupt your drawing through music....it was a little weird and a little neat. Oliver and I drew pictures, the rest of the guys where too cool.

That poor donkey.

Trouble with a capital T

After the 3 day weekend I had to work the rest of the week so this is where the pictures end. It was fun seeing them again and I know Cameron sure enjoyed it.....I'd better win Wife of the Year for this!

Oh Iowa!

2011-05-29T21:34:00.000-07:00

Well they did it! My sister's graduated from college! This actually happened about to weeks ago but I've been a little busy so give me a break!

Cameron and I woke up super early (like our flight left at 6:30AM...so you do the math) on Friday May 13th and flew to Omaha where my dad picked us up and we drove two hours to Sioux City Iowa, where my sisters live.

On Saturday we got up and had a yummy family brunch and then headed over to the school. My sisters graduated from Morningside College. My sister Rebecca graduated with a Bachelors in History. She plans on going to graduate school to get her Masters and eventually her PhD in Library Science and Research. She basically wants to be a historian and researcher. Katherine graduated with a Bachelors in Business and Spanish. She will also go onto graduate school to get her MBA. She hopes to get into business coaching.

I have such smart sisters!

Christ has Risen!

2011-04-24T21:42:00.000-07:00

Easter is one of my favorite holidays. Growing up I have wonderful memories of easter egg hunts, big family dinners and church. I loved going to the Easter service. It was unlike any other service at my friend's churches.

We started celebrating the night before! I was raised Eastern Orthodox and instead of calling it Easter, we called it Pascha. late Saturday night we would get dressed in our best and go to church around 10:30pm. When we were young it was hard to stay up during the 3 hour service. I remember laying the pew fighting to stay awake and then later being carried to the car by my Mom or Dad.

As I got older, I was able to stay awake by singing in the choir. The beginning of the service was dark and low, as it was still lent. The clergy wore dark robs, the music low and humble chanting, the lights low and everyone holding candles. About halfway through the service, the whole congregation would get up and walk around the outside the church 3 times to symbolize the walk that Christ made to Calvary. Then we would stop at the front doors of the church. The priest would knock on the door and ask where Christ was. A voice would answer "He is not here. He has risen."

We would then file back into the church, only now the lights were up, flowers everywhere. The clergy changed in to white robs and the hymns were joyful. The clergy would chant "Christ is risen!" And we would reply "Indeed He has risen!" After the service, which usually ended at about 3am, we would go home and sleep. Then around noon we would go back to church for a big feast.

Even though I no longer attend that church, I am grateful for parents that made sure to make Easter centered around Christ and his sacrifice for us. I am so grateful to belong to a church that emphasizes Christ's atonement and how important that is to our salvation. I am grateful for the Savior, who gave His life for mine.

Birthdays, Basketball, Bachelors Degrees and Boys

2011-04-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

This past week was my birthday! Hooray for turning 26! It started out just like any other day. I went to work, blah blah blah...then I recieved THE CALL. I got the best birthday present. A new job! In 2 weeks I will be working here: www.itsatrip.org

I am super excited, not only because it pays significantly more and has better benefits but also because it is a new adventure. While I love my co workers at my old job, the job itself was just not at fulfilling as it once was. Instead of letting it grow stale and having my job performance drop, I decided it was time for a change.

To celebrate, not only my birthday but my new job, Cameron and I went to a charming little French restaurant near our house.

Apparently Cameron is fluent in French, since he took it in high school. (NOT)

This is me....not amused...well maybe a little.

The food was delicious! It was a great way to spend my birthday!

A few weeks ago we also went to our first NCAA Tournament game. The first and second round of the women's tournament where played here in Albuquerque and since Fresno State was playing we decided to go cheer them on.

Unfortunately they lost to North Carolina in the first round but it was still fun to watch them play.

We are going to have lots of visitors this spring/summer! The last week in April, Cameron's mom is coming to visit! We are excited to show her Albuquerque and spend some time with her.

In the second week in May, Cameron and I are going to Iowa to see my sisters graduate from COLLEGE. I know, take a minute to let that one sink in. I can't believe it. They should still be this small:

We should all still be that small! Oh, and check out those hats! We are so cool!

Rebecca is graduating with a degree in History. She wants to go on and get her masters and PhD in Library Science...not sure what that is but it sounds nerdy. She basically wants to do historical research.

Katherine is graduating with two degrees. One in Business and one in Spanish. She also plans on getting her masters degree but she has to work for a year first then apply.

Then at the end of May, the boys will be coming to visit. By boys, I mean Jordan, Anthony and Oliver. My house will be filled with boys! I have already made arrangements to have at least one girls night with my friend Libby.

It is going to be a busy few months!

The Return of Super Bracket!

2011-03-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

March Madness has hit the Kohl house. We've filled out our brackets, made our predictions and have created the....

THE SUPER BRACKET!

This year the foam board was so big it wouldn't fit through the car door. We had to strap it to the top. Luckily it didn't fly away.

LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!

The Sounds of Snoring.

2011-01-17T16:40:00.000-08:00

Today was a typical Monday at work...busy and stressful. Until I was sent the video below. Totally made my day and I thought I should share it! Enjoy!

See? That Wasn't So Hard Was it?

2011-01-13T09:37:00.000-08:00

It's offical. I am an awful blogger. I'd like to day that it's because I am off doing much more exciting and worthwhile things...but lets be honest, I'm not. But here is an update anyway!

Christmas: It was a quiet one for the Kohls. We stayed in ABQ and spent a nice quiet Christmas Eve watching movies. In the morning we opened our gifts from eachother and family. That evening my Grandpa and our friend Sterling came over for dinner. We stayed up late playing games.
New Years: Nothing really to exciting here either. I think I fell asleep before midnight...lame I know.

It's pretty much been business as usual around here. Cameron starts school in about a week, I am busy at work. 2011 looks to be pretty much the same as 2010. Lots of school and work and hopefully preparing to move again in 2012. Cameron will be applying to internships in the Fall. He is looking to get into TV. He will be appling at ESPN, and all the other major sports networks. All of which are on the East Coast. Connectiuct and New York to be exact. If he gets one, he will be gone for 3 months! I most likely will not be going but staying and working. The hope is that one of the interships will lead to a job at the network. So hopefully in 2012 we will be moving East!

That is all for now. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to take more pictures so look forward to that!

Little House on the Prairie

2010-11-23T17:23:00.000-08:00

I arrived in Omaha Nebraska safe and sound. My parents and grandmother picked me up and we headed home. The next morning was cloudy and cold. We took a walk around the property. My parents now live on a farm. They don't work on the farm, just rent the house until their house in Hastings sells and then they will move into town.

My sister are on their way here now, as are my aunt, uncle and 2 cousins.

Here are some of the pictures I have taken so far:

I Dreamed A Dream

2010-11-18T20:28:00.000-08:00

For those that go to the movies, you know those Fathom Events they advertise? They are usually for operas. I always bug Cameron about going to see one and he always says no....he hates opera. So after awhile I stopped asking.

Then yesterday happend. It started out as any other Wednesday. I woke up, went to work and Cameron went to school. At about 2:30pm when Cameron got out of class he started texting me. Then he started sending me clues to what we where going to be doing later that night.

I was able to guess that we where going to see a movie. But I couldn't guess which one. It wasn't until I sat down and the lights dimmed and this came on the screen:

I literally screamed with joy....it was mildly embarrassing. It was nothing short of amazing. Les Miserables is one of my favorite musicals. I cry every time I see it and last night was no exception.

Some of the highlights of the show were:

1. Nick Jonas of The Jonas Brothers playing the role of Marius.

2. He wasn't half bad! His voice wasn't as strong as the rest of the cast but his acting was good and he held his own.

3. As we left the theater we ran into our friends Steve, Nancy and Martin who were also in the audience. We haven't seen them in a long time and afterward we went to dinner.

4. At the end of the show, the original 1985 cast came out and sang a few songs from the show.

It was a wonderful date! On Saturday I leave for Nebraska for a week to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Unfortunately Cameron has to stay home and work :0(

He Works Hard for the Money

2010-09-11T22:27:00.001-07:00

In case you were curious what Cameron's job is....here is a picture! This is from the UNM vs Texas Tech game. UNM lost....as usual but at least they put points on the board, unlike the Oregon game a few weeks ago.

He found out on Monday that of the footage he filmed on Saturday, 5 minutes of it was used for highlights for the coaches and the local news! 5 minutes may not seem like a lot but in the sports world it is!

He really likes his job. Not only does he film football practice and games, he also films volleyball and soccer games. He was really excited to get this:

All Sports All Access!

Hopefully he will be able to work on the basketball film crew this winter and spring. The UNM Men's Basketball team did really well last year and it would be great to be able to watch them again!

Busy!

2010-08-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a list what we have been up too!

1. Besides school and work, Cameron and I have been volunteering at a local theater in town. It's funny how the things you love have a way of finding you. It had been over a year since Cam and I had worked in theater until a friend who I work with asked if we wouldn't mind helping.

2. Cameron started his new job. He likes it, so far it's a lot of standing on a football field in the sub holding heavy equipment.

3. Big changes are happening at my work. Mostly good things so I have been working a more.

4. We are planning a trip to Europe! Which really means we are saving every penny. This is some thing I have wanted to do for a long time. One day I realized that they only thing holding me back from this was money...something easily changed. We don't have children so we have no excuse! So we are saving and planning. It probably won't happen for another 1/1/2-2years but we will do it. Here is our plan so far.

We will fly into London and spend a 2-3 days there, then we will take the train to Paris, spend a 3-4 days there, then hop back on the train and go to Italy for 3-4 days then fly home. When my Grandparents got married they took a similar trip so my Grandpa is helping me plan it. While we are there, we will only be staying in Bed & Breakfasts or local hotels. NO big hotels! We want to spent about 10 days in Europe so we may add more destinations.

Whenever I want to buy something all Cameron will say is Europe and I quickly change my mind. I am not good at saving money so this will be a challenge but I can do it!

Well it's about time!

2010-06-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

Cameron got a job! I know what you are all thinking.....it took him long enough!

He has been hired to be an assistant videographer for the UNM Athletics Dept. He will be filming and editing footage from all the football games and other sports.

It is a student position so it doesn't much but money is money and it will look good on a resume.

Yay for Cameron!!!!

And in Other Sports News.....

2010-06-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

For those who don't know....we Kohls love sports and World Cup Fever has hit the Kohl house. Team USA lost today, which was super sad but they put up a good fight.

Last weekend was the US Open. Golf is pretty much the only sport that I don't like watching. But Cameron likes to watch Tiger Woods and when I watch it with him I root for anyone but Tiger. And it's not because he cheated on his wife with every trashy girl he could find. I have NEVER rooted for Tiger. Anywho, our wonderful friends the Cutts were at the US Open on Friday. Cameron recorded it since he wasn't going to be home when it was on. While watching late Friday night guess who we saw on ESPN:

The guy in the purple shirt is Phil Mickelson. I always root for Phil...because he is awesome. The group of 4 guys in the back ground is....The Cutts! Jordan is the in red hat and black sweatshirt, then Doug, Brent and Ryan.

It is also Wimbledon season. I love me some Tennis. And in case you missed it....the longest game in tennis this past week. For 10 HOURS these two men played, the only reason they had to stop was it got too dark and then they started the next day and played for another hour and a half until finally someone won. It was the American John Isner!

Our Summer Adventure

2010-06-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

Summer is here! This year I was able to go with Cameron on a trip to Fresno. I left ABQ at 7am and landed in Oakland at 9:30am. Cameron picked me up and we drove a few hours to Lake Tahoe to spend the weekend with our wonderful friends Steve and Jenna Hull. We had a blast, as you can see from the photos below. We played games, laughed, hung out at the beach, laughed, played mini golf, laughed, ate yummy food and laughed!

On Monday we drove to Fresno and spent the week with lots of friends and family. It was wonderful to see everyone and wish I could have had more time! On Saturday morning we got up early and drove to Anaheim to go to Disneyland! We spent the whole day in the happiest place on earth then went to out hotel for some much needed sleep to prepare for the drive home to ABQ on Sunday.

We made it home Sunday safe and sound and back to work on Monday for me!

Visiting this summer makes me miss California even more! Hopefully we will be moving back in a few years, once Cameron is done with school.

Here are some pictures I took while in Cali. Enjoy!

Look Out California!

2010-05-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

Here come the Kohls!

Well, really it's just me as Cameron is already there...and obviously I am not a very good photographer and I need better lighting in my living room.

I leave in the morning and am flying to Oakland. Cameron is picking me up and we are driving to Tahoe to spend a wonderful weekend with our wonderful friends Steve and Jenna Hull! Then off to Fresno for a week!

My Mother

2010-05-09T22:19:00.000-07:00

My Mother has this habit of being amazing. Without her I would not be the person I am today. If I become half the mom that she is to me-then I will happy. She has loved me even when I didn't make it easy. She gave me the space to become my own person as well as make my own mistakes, and always made sure to be there to pick my up when I needed it.

I didn't fully realize how much she meant to me until I moved away from home and now live a few states away. As I get older people often tell me how alike we are and I couldn't think of a better compliment.

Basketball, Birthdays and Bunnies

2010-04-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

March Madness has been in full swing in our house. The annual Kohl Family Bracket has been made.

It is especially exciting since our team - the Duke University Blue Devils have made the Final 4. They are actually playing as I type this! GO DUKE!

My birthday was this past Monday. I am now 25 years old....Cameron made my favorite cake. It's really just a glorified strawberry short cake but tasty none the less.

Oh and I woke up to this:

IT SNOWED ON MY BIRTHDAY! That is definitely a first. But in true New Mexico fashion it had all melted by lunch time and the sun was out. I only got one birthday present this year but as you can see from the picture below....it was a good one!

A new laptop! I still have and am still using the laptop I got when I graduated from high school...which is now getting farther and farther away. It arrives on Wednesday!

Last but not least this weekend is Easter and General Conference. General Conference is alway wonderful but to have it on Easter just makes it even better. That and I made this cute easter basket for our neighbor girl Olivia. He dad is our Elders Quorum President and her mom is my visiting teaching companion. Not to mention that Olivia is quite possibly one of the cutest 2 years old I have ever met!

Happy Easter!

My Apologies

2010-03-12T23:18:00.000-08:00

I have been neglectful of my blog....to the 3 people who read this I am sorry :0) I am talking to you Audrie Lindsay!

Here is an update on our life:

The Academy Awards were last week - Always a big event at our house, this year there where ten best picture nominees so needless to say we had a bunch of movies to see....and we saw them all. For the most part they were all good.

There is a God and he brought Blue Bell Ice Cream to Albuquerque! People, this is only the BEST ice cream ever made (sorry Ben & Jerry) Blue Bell is made in Texas and only distributed to a few states. As a little girl I remember touring the factory on a school field trip. I used only get to have it when I went to Texas. If you ever find it, buy it. You will not be disappointed. There goes my diet....

The UNM Basketball team is 29-3 this season and have a really good chance of going to the dance. Translation for non sports fans: The Lobos have 29 wins and 3 loses and have a really good chance of going to the playoffs. In case you were wondering lobo is Spanish for wolf. It took me a year to figure that out.

This is our wonderful new bed. Since getting married Cameron and I have been sleeping on my full size bed that I have had since my freshman year of high school. In case you haven't noticed neither Cameron or I particularly small. It's been almost four years of elbows in the side, knees in the back and feet hanging over the edge. We had our hearts set on a Sleep Number bed but thought that $4000 was a bit too much to spend (yes that really is how much they cost) We found many other sets we liked but the price was just not right but one night while browsing Overstock.com I found our second favorite mattress set for half the price then it was at the store! It's a queen and who knew 6 extra inches would make all the difference!

My job is going good. I have made a goal of going back to school in the fall. I'll start at CNM the community college here and plan on transferring to big kid school. The important thing is that I start and finish. At this point getting a degree in basket weaving would be good but I plan on majoring in Journalism. I am already a news junkie, I might as well get paid to be one right?

I am also getting back into theatre. A friend of mine started his own theatre company and asked me to stage manage his upcoming show "Closer". I'm excited to get back into something I love. That and I get to boss people around....I am really good at that.

Cameron is doing well. He is busy with school and up to his usual high jinks. When not in school he maintains a health diet of video games, movies and harassing me. He will most likely be looking for a part time job soon.

We are planning on making a trip out to Fresno at the end of May/early June.

Christmas With The Kohls

2010-01-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

This year for Christmas Cameron and I drove to Austin Texas. My parents and sisters drove down from Nebraska and we all stayed at my Grandpa's house. Last year ( I can say that now as it is 2010!) his house burned down. It has since been re built and is beautiful. My brother and his family drove up from Houston and spent a few days with us as well. It was wonderful to be able to spend Christmas with my family. Austin was beautiful, bright and sunny and about 60 degrees the whole time! I love Austin and hope to live there one day.

WARNING: Most of these pictures are of my adorable niece Jill and nephew Charlie.

Jill and Charlie going on a walk with Grandpa Scott (my Dad)

My sisters - Katherine & Rebecca

The weather was in the 60s the whole time we were there so we had a picnic in the backyard!
Opening presents!

Walking to the park

Only a 4 year old can get away with wearing this hat!

Catch me Uncle Cameron!

Thanksgiving Part 2 - No One Throws a Party Like the Scholles!

2009-12-31T20:50:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's taken sooooo long to post the rest of my pictures from Thanksgiving. We had tons of fun in Orem. Aside from the usual Thanksgiving activities we had a grand ol time. Here are some of the things our week included:

Lots of Beatles Rock Band

Playing with Cooper

Eating giant burritos

Playing Frisbee Golf
(It's harder than it looks!)

Friends for over 18 years!

Seeing the lights at Temple Square!

Thanksgiving Part 1 - The Journey to Orem

2009-11-30T20:35:00.000-08:00

This year for Thanksgiving, Cameron and I went to visit our friends Steve, Jessica and Cooper Scholle who live in Orem Utah. This is going to be a long blog so I will break it into a a few posts. Part 1 is the Journey.

Before we left for Utah we had to take care of some business...on Friday night after work we went to see New Moon. I have awesome husband. Friday after class Cameron went to the movie theater and waited 2 hours in line so that we got good seats!

After the movie we went straight home and went to sleep - around 9pm -because we had to get up and leave early. Well neither of us could sleep because we were so excited so we got up at 3 am , got ready and got on the road.

I slept for a few hours and woke up right before we crossed into Colorado.

The drive was long and we saw a lot of interesting things:

We saw this right before we drove into Provo:

Beautiful!

Stay tuned or Part 2!

Is Blogger Trying To Tell Me Something?

2009-11-16T21:47:00.000-08:00

For the past few weeks now, every time I get onto Blogger to:

a) Read blogs posted by friends

or

b) Blog surf

For those who don't know what this is let me explain-I click the "Next Blog" button on the toolbar at the top of the blog screen. It takes me to a random blog the internet fairies think I should see. I usually do this when I am bored. I have found some cool blogs with recipes and decorating tips.

Back to my story. Every time I have done this in the past few weeks I get blogs that have a common theme. Pregnancy. Not sure why the internet fairies are doing this but it is really starting to annoy me. I am not pregnant nor do I plan to be anytime soon. Is it in the future? Yes but not right now. One or two every once and awhile would be fine - but every single one?

So internet fairies if you reading this. You can stop, I get it. It was funny but now it's getting old.

Thanks.

Look! In the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a ....hot air balloon!

2009-10-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

Wow it has been awhile since I have posted anything! Things have been pretty busy around here but we did have time to go to the Balloon Fiesta here in Albuquerque. For a whole week hot air balloons fill the skies. It's pretty darn cool and makes it hard to drive to work in the morning. All I wanted to do was to look up at the balloons and not at the road!

We got up really early ( 4am) and drove out to the field for the balloon launch!
The following pictures aren't mine. I do not have the guts to go up in a hot air balloon. The idea of nothing but a wicker basket stopping me from falling to my death does not seem very smart. A friend of mine took them and said I could post them.

It was a lot of fun! After the launch we went out to breakfast then back home to take a nap. Cameron has been busy with school and I am chugging along at work. At the end of the year Cameron is going to apply to be a manager at our apartment complex. If he gets it that will mean free rent! Pray that he gets it! If he does them I plan on going part time and going back to school.

We are super excited for Thanksgiving. We are driving up to Utah to visit our friends Steve and Jessica Scholle and their new baby boy Cooper! We are spending the whole week there and couldn't be more excited!

Everything is bigger in Texas

2009-08-22T08:52:00.001-07:00

At the end of July (while Cameron was off living it up in Fresno) I decided to fly to Texas for my brother Jason and Grandpa's birthday. Their birthday's fall on the same weekend. We used to celebrate them together every year when I was a kid. I have wonderful memories of everyone (everyone would be my parents, 2 sisters, my brother, my aunt and uncle and their 2 boys and my grandparents) sitting around my grandparents dinning room table after eating an amazing meal my dad had made. We would sing happy birthday and my brother and Grandpa would open their presents.

But over the years we all moved to various parts of the country and we hadn't been all together in a really long time. The last time I saw my brother, Aunt and Grandpa was last year when Cameron and i went to visit. The last time I saw my cousins was at my Grandma's funeral 6 years ago!

I am so glad I went! There where some differences from the last time we celebrated together. My Grandma wasn't there. We ate dinner at a restaurant instead of their house - my Grandpa's house burned down about 9 months ago, he is rebuilding it but it wasn't finished in time for the festivities. My Aunt and Uncle are now divorced and my Aunt has a new boyfriend. Only one of my cousins was able to make it and my brother is now married with 2 kids of his own.

However it was still a wonderful experience. I got to spend time with my wonderful family. I also was able to see some family from my mom's side. Her cousin Mike and his family let us crash at their place.

Okay enough talking! Picture time!

All By Myself...

2009-07-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

On Friday Cameron left for Fresno...without me. It's okay, I wasn't able to get the time off of work. He will be gone for 2 weeks!!!!! It's the longest we've been apart since being married. So far I'm not doing too bad. I had to work on today so that kept me distracted. Ask me in a few days.

Cameron's Step-Mom Mona sent me a picture of Cameron and his dad floating on inner tubes (is that how you spell it???) I think they look pretty darn cute!

Answer: 3 Years of Marriage, Glee and Crappy American Idol Song Writing.

2009-05-19T20:08:00.001-07:00

Question: What are three things currently on my mind.

1) Last week Cameron and I celebrated 3 years of wedded bliss. Unfortunately I was VERY sick with the stomach flu (Please not that I did not write Swine Flu...believe me people have!) So Cameron spent the evening being my nurse. He was quite good at it. He bought me copious amounts of crackers, chicken soup and Gatorade. Not the best way to spend your anniversary but at least we were together!

2) The TV show Glee is my newest obsession. I just finished watching it and now I crave it. I know, I know I have a problem. But the show is great. 1 part musical + 2 parts sarcasm + the hilarious Jane Lynch = My new favorite thing on TV. The bad news...it was only a preview. The actually season does not start until the fall. No worries though...I won't stop believe'n!

3) Part 1 of the American Idol finale aired tonight. I must say that I really don't care who wins...I love them both. That being said I think Adam is going to win. Sadly nobody wins with that atrocious song "No Boundaries" Is it me or do all of the songs that American Idol writes for the final two....are crap!!!! Seriously? Both Adam and Chris are incredibly talented and they both sounded bad singing that song and it wasn't their fault. Okay enough of my rant. May the best man win!

Blogging Live From Nebraska!

2009-05-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

We are spending the weekend in the great state of Nebraska! My mom is performing in a play for the local theatre company. She play Ethel the wise crackin granny in "Moon of Over Buffulo".

We left Wednesday night after I got off of work and drove 5 hours to Denver. We stopped and stayed the night then got up early and drove another 6 hours to Hastings Nebraska!

Cameron and I stopped at a truck stop:

Here are some pictures of the great Nebraska scenery!

On the way to Hastings we in the town of Gothenberg were my mom grew up...while there we got the see the very first Pony Express Station:

We are going to see the show tonight! I can't wait!!!

Sundays

2009-04-19T21:14:00.000-07:00

Today was quite the eventful for me. First I had to teach the lesson in Relief Society. I was really nervous but everything seemed to go well. All the Sisters were very nice and said I gave a great lesson. I just hope I don't have to do it for a long time!

The second thing was that I got a calling........wait for it......I am back in the Nursery. Not my first choice but there is a reason for me being called so I will serve. Cameron and I now both have callings. For those who don't know Cameron is Sunday School President.

I love Sundays...they are always so peaceful and easy.

I Will Survive..

2009-04-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

Well I made it. Jordan, Anthony and Oliver are gone. As mush I love them...it is nice to have my house back! We had a lot of fun and I will post pictures soon...just wanted to let you all know that I survived!

Costco How I Love Thee...

2009-04-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

Tonight our friends Oliver, Jordan and Anthony will be arriving. They will be here for a week. Earlier today Cameron and I went to Costco to stock up on a few supplies...

I am going to have 4, 23 year old men in my house for a week what would you expect! Cameron insisted on buy a giant container of Parmesan cheese.

I don't know how we are going to use it all! I also walked away with a steel....

Pirates Booty!!!!!

New Things

2009-04-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

Moving to New Mexico has brought us many new things:

New license plates

New school

New haircut

They Say It's Your Birthday...Well Happy Birthday To You!

2009-03-30T21:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my birthday. One year older. We actually started my birthday on Saturday. I got to sleep in (which I don't get to do very often) then we got dressed and went and saw a movie that was filmed and takes place right here in Albuquerque.
It was really good. Afterward we went to lunch at a local restaurant. Later that night we went over to my grandparents house for dinner, cake and presents!!!
This is was Cameron got me.....
I know what you are thinking...a sewing machine? I have wanted one for awhile now but they can be pretty expensive. Well Cameron went to a lot of trouble to find this one. He searched and searched and when he couldn't find anything he called my mom and grandmother. My Grandma Fran found this one...its used but works great. It's a White, which apparently is one of the best brands to get.

Thanks for all the Birthday Wishes, cards and envelopes...
***For Audrie Lindsay***
Thanks for the pictures and letter! The K on my address does matter, all of the apartment buildings are lettered. We just happened to get the letter K. No worries though, we got your letter! I need your email address :0) Hope you are enjoying your new hip!

March Madness with the Kohls

2009-03-15T19:24:00.001-07:00

Its March Madness time here in the Kohl household. As usual we filled out our brackets, but this year we decieded to take it to the next level.

Behold the Super Bracket:

It is color coded by region. I know, I know we have entirely to much time on our hands. But we love our college sports. Go Duke!!!

Oscar Night!

2009-02-22T16:53:00.000-08:00

For those who don't know, we here at the Kohl residence take the Oscars very seriously. We print out our ballots and mark not only who we think will win but who we want to win. Trust me there is a difference.

We prepare a feast.

Every year we make it a goal to see all the movies nominated for best picture. Here are our predictions.

Cameron:

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor: Sean Penn-Milk

Best Actress: Kate Winslet-The Reader

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger- The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz- Vicky Christina Barcelona

Best Director: Danny Boyle- Slumdog Millionaire

Mine are the same except I say:

Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis-Doubt

During the show we tally whose predictions came true. Needless to say, Cameron won this year...again! All of his predictions happened here is a look at the Winners:

Best picture
"Slumdog Millionaire"

Director
Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Actor
Sean Penn, "Milk"

Actress
Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

Supporting actor
Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"

Supporting actress
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Hopefully I'll win next year....the game not an Oscar...although that would be nice too!

Things You Don't Want To Hear At 6am.

2009-02-06T17:38:00.000-08:00

This morning while I was getting ready for work my phone rang, it was my mother. I stopped...calls from my mother at 6am are rarely good. I answered. The first thing she said was "Don't worry everyone is ok." Instantly, worst case scenario's flooded into my brain. "Your sister was in a car accident", "there was a tornado", I was not prepared for "Your grandfather's house burned down. "

Monday night my grandpa was in his room watching TV(he wears headphones so he can hear it which means he can't hear anything else), my aunt and cousin were in the back of the house, when they heard a loud bang. Thinking my grandpa has fallen, my aunt started to walk down the hall towards the front of the house to my grandpa's room. That's when she saw that the front of the house was on fire.

My cousin and her got my grandpa out ok but the house is gone. Everything they owned...gone. All family heirlooms, pictures and my grandmothers things...gone. I know that those are just material things but as my Dad put it...it's like have your history erased.

The fire was caused by a gas leak...the house basically exploded. It is a miracle no one was hurt and that my aunt and cousin where home. Because had they not been, my grandpa most likely would have not known about the fire until it was too late.

Please keep them in your prayers.

Who Knew Business Cards Could Be So Exciting?

2009-01-31T08:57:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of my very first business card ever! I am the Sales and Marketing Assistant!!! I finished my first week of work. So far I like it a lot. It's a small company, only about 12 employees, a lot of them are my age, which is nice. Everyone is really nice. I have tons to learn though. EXHIB-IT! is a company that designs and sells booths for trade shows. I have to learn about all of their products (which is a lot!) They also plan trade shoes so I will be assisting in the event planning.

Cameron is doing good. So far he likes his classes. Albuquerque is nice. Its been pretty cold though. No snow bu lots of wind!. We are right next to the mountains and we can actually see them!!! Unlike Fresno because of the pollution. When we first moved here Cameron and I got really bad colds...we joked that our bodies weren't used to the fresh air! We've expored a little bit. There is a really nice downtown, which we live really close to. We found the nearest movie theater and Target...both essentials to us! We even found a Wal-Mart....which is nothing like the ones in Fresno....this one is super nice and clean, the staff is very helpful.

I know I still need to post pictures of our apartment...Cameron and I are working on a video tour to post...but it will take some time so just be patient!

Cameron and Natalie Explore Albuquerque Part 2: We've Got Spirit! How Bout You?!

2009-01-17T18:03:00.000-08:00

Today Cameron and I went to our very first UNM sporting event. We saw the Men's Basketball team play BYU. The stadium was packed. I have to say it was refreshing to see the community come out and support their team. Something Fresno is not known for. Also, pretty much everyone stayed until the end of the game. Of course I took pictures!

Right before the game.

Gee can you tell what Cameron's watching??? Not the camera that's for sure!

Cameron and Natalie Explore Albuquerque Part 1

2009-01-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

Today at noon I had a job interview. I think it went pretty well, I'll know by Tuesday if I go it. After the interview Cameron and I decided to do some exploring around town.

First, we decided to look for our church building. It took a little bit but we found it. Sadly its not as close as our previous ward. We will be in the Haines Ward.

Next we went looking for the Temple. Its all the way on the opposite side of town but it's very nice.

By the time we were done exploring we were hungry. My grandpa said that Blake's has the best burgers in town....and dare he said it even better than In and Out (which we don't have in New Mexico) So we decided to check it out. Sorry Grandpa, while Blake's was good, it does not hold a candle to In and Out.

That's all for our exploring for now...stay tuned for more installments!

Albuquerque or Bust!

2009-01-09T18:53:00.000-08:00

On Sunday Januray 4th Cameron and I left for Albuquerque New Mexico. Some friends of ours came along for the ride and to help us move. Enjoy the pictures below!

The boys just had to get in a few rounds of Rock Band the night before we left!

All of us right before we left! Anthony, Nicki, Me Cameron, Jordan and Oliver.

After driving for 10 hours we stopped and spent the night in Flagstaff Arizona. There was snow everywhere!

Cameron and Jordan rode the entire way together in the truck!

The view from my car windshield as we drove into Albuquerque!

My Mom, Grandfather and Dad.

Cameron drinking out of the famous boot glass...no worries it's just apple juice!

My Grandpa and I.

Everything with the move went great. We left Flagstaff with about a 5 hour drive ahead. When we got there we were ale to move right in to our place. I'll post those pics soon, I promise!

The Final Countdown.

2009-01-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

Today is our last day in Fresno California. At 7 am tomorrow morning we will begin our trek to Albuquerque New Mexico. Yesterday with help of some great friends we moved everything out of our apartment into the truck. Luckliy we got most of it done before it started raining! On the agenda today:

Clean the apartment
Turn in our keys
Run a few last errands
Tie up a few last ends
Say a few more goodbyes
Get a good nights sleep to prepare for our journey

Thanks to everyone who came to our going away party last Sunday. We are going to miss everyone. We have been blessed to have been apart of such a wonderful ward. Now off I go, lots to do!

The current state fo my house.

2008-12-30T12:31:00.001-08:00

4 days and counting until our big move to Albuquerque! I have all but barricaded myself in my house trying to get everything packed in time.

Good News! We won't be homeless in Albuquerque!

2008-12-04T19:37:00.000-08:00

We got into Student Family Housing!!! We will be living in a two bedroom 1 1/2 bath. I am so excited. I was so worried that we were not going to get in. Cameron assured me that we would and as usual he was. We move in on January 5th! I don't have pictures of the inside, only the floor plan and outside pictures!

The complex is for graduate and transfer students with families. So we shouldn't have to worry about parties or anything like that. Our friends Oliver, Anthony, Nikki and maybe Jordan are going to be driving down with us when we move. Everyone loves a road trip!

Thanksgiving with the Kohls Part 2

2008-12-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came and enjoyed our Thanksgiving Dinner. It was a huge success and I didn't burn anything!!!!

After dinner we played games!

Nikki! If you're still hungry there are leftovers! Leave Anthony alone!

Oliver and Jordan

Thanksgiving With The Kohls

2008-11-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

Since this is Cameron and I's last Thanksgiving here in Fresno we decided to stay in town and spend Thanksgiving day with Cameron's parents. Then on Friday we will be cooking a traditional Thanksgiving for out friends! As it gets closer I am starting to loose my mind...but I still can't wait! Here is the menu I have planned:

Appetizers and Munchies:
Stuffed Mushrooms
Humus Dip w/Pita Bread
Artichoke Dip

Main Dishes:
Sage and Rosemary Roasted Turkey
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Fresh Green Bean Salad
Mashed Potatoes
Candied Yams
Cornbread and Apple Stuffing

Pies:
Apple
Chocolate Mousse
Pumpkin

Am I crazy? Probably! I am hoping that everything turns out okay. But I know that even if I burn something my awesome friends won't mind!

Tagged!

2008-11-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by Amy....I can't compete with her pic but I'll post one just the same. The rule is to go to your 4th picture file and upload the 4th picture. Our 4th picture file is "San Fran Trip" and our 4th picture is:

I took this picture while we were walking the Golden Gate Bridge.

I tag Jenna!

Bored At Work

2008-11-12T12:35:00.000-08:00

Its lunch time and I have time to waste....Enjoy!

1. Where is your cell phone...Home :(

2. Where is your significant other...Work

3. Your hair color...Brown

4. Your mother...Michelle

5. Your father...Scott

6. Your favorite thing...sleep

7. Your dream last night...none

8. Your dream/goal....published

9. The room you're in...cubicle

10. Your hobby...writing

11. Your fear....alone

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years...home

13. Where were you last night...sleep

14. What you're not...hungry

15. One of your wish-list items...house

16. Where you grew up...many

17. The last thing you ate...Enchiladas

18. What are you wearing...work

19. Your tv...off

20. Your pet...none

21. Your computer...slow

22. Your mood...sleepy

23. Missing someone...lots!

24. Your car...dirty

25. Something you're not wearing...glasses

26. Favorite store...Target

27. Your summer...over

28. Love someone...Cameron

29. Your favorite color...purple

30. When was the last time you laughed....Work

31. Last time you cried...bye

I award the following people the " I love your blog award". And in doing so, tag them to complete the above questions with ONE WORD ANSWERS

Halloween...The Morning After...

2008-11-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

I had a very interesting Halloween and it did not go at all how I had planned.

Here was my original plan: Come home from work, wash off my makeup, make chili for Cameron and his co workers because they have inventory this weekend, then come home get dresses up as Pam from The Office and go to our churches Halloween Party. Then come home and relax.

Here is what actually happened: While at work I realized that I did not have all the ingredients for my chili, so I would have to go to the store on my way home...one problem...I had a giant bloody wound on my forehead with a pencil sticking out of it. But I sucked it up and went. It was an interesting experience to say the least. Most children were not afraid to say "What the?" or "I know that's fake!" It was actually really cute. I even let a few touch it. One little boy practically followed me around the store asking questions about it. Their mothers has different reactions, some gasped when they came around a corner and saw me, some stared and a few thought it was pretty cool and asked about it. The men in the store said nothing to me at all, a few stared but most just ignored me.

I left the store and got home. I started to make the chili when there was a knock at the door, trick or treaters....I handed them candy and let them admire my forehead. While this was happening my neighbor had opened her door. She asked about my makeup and then we started to chat. The kids left and we continued to talk when she just started crying. She needed to get to the Marjorie Mason Center downtown by 8pm because then her boyfriend would be coming home and if he found out she was leaving...lets just day it would be bad. But she didn't have a car and was going to have a to call a taxi. So I offered to drive her. At first she refused but I said it was no problem. About half an hour later I was driving her to the shelter.

She was a really sweet girl and I hope the best for her. You never know how your day is going to turn out.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T12:27:00.000-07:00

At work we are allowed to dress up for Halloween so I decieded to put my theater skills to good use! Enjoy!

And then when I got to work I decided my look was missing one very important piece!

I call it "Office Politics Gone Wrong"!

Also here is a picture of Cameron, he is helping a friend film a horror movie, he is also in it!

Lets just say he gets a little beat up!

Happy Halloween Everyone!!!!

Cameron and Natalie Go To The Zoo!

2008-10-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

Cameron had an assignment for his biology class that required going to the zoo. So we decided to make a day of it. So on Saturday we loaded up and went to the zoo!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Attention! Attention!

2008-10-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

Attention Everyone! We got the letter! Cameron has officially been admitted to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque! YAY!!!

Classes start Jan. 20th so we will either move end of December/early January. We are both super excited. While we will miss our friends and family here in Fresno, we can not wait to start a new chapter in our lives.

On a personal note, I am so proud of my hubby! He has worked so hard the past 2 years, taking classes he didn't like, worked full time and went to school at night...but all that hard work has finally paid off. I know that it hasn't always been easy for him but he stuck with it.

We are going to have a big going away party as the time gets closer to move so watch from an invite!

Good Article

2008-10-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

So here I am at work bored out of my mind...pretty much every one is in a meeting so it's really quiet but there isn't much work to do...so I was crusin around the internet and ran into a great article on the Newsweek Magazine website here is the link: http://www.newsweek.com/id/162792/page/1

Basically the article talks about how our culture has taken on themes that are usually found in porn. Think about it, commercials, music, tv, movies even children's toys have become hyper-sexualized. Take for instance, in the article it mentions Bratz Dolls. These dolls are wearing short skirts, midrifs, heels and tons of makeup. They have big pouty lips and exzagerated curves, and these are for young girls...these dolls make Barbie look like a nun.

At least Barbie has careers, she had a family, these dolls are minature porn stars! And it just isn't these dolls. It's every where. I was recently at a Halloween store with my husband. While walking down what I thought were adult costumes, I took a closer look only to discover that the nurse, french maid and school girl costumes were not for adults but for girls ages 10-13. I compared them to the adult costumes to find that there was little to no difference in the desgin!

Anywho, its a really good article and you should read it!

New Beginnings

2008-09-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

Okay so I was having issues with the old blog and so I decided to delete that one and start fresh! There really wasn't much to delete since I wasn't very good about posting on that one, hopefully I will be better with this one! This a short post because A) my lunch break is almost over and B) I need to make this blog look pretty!