Friday the 13th

I've never been very superstitious but this last Friday, the 13th of November, made me somewhat of a believer. The day was normal, just like any other. I went to work, helped customers, called Travis and my mom. It was even better than normal because we were able to get all the shirts done on time and even a few of monday's shirts done.

It was about 3:25 in the afternoon, we (me, my sister-in-law, Erin, Lindsey, and Sheen) were all in the back of the store finishing up a few things before we left for the day. (Erin stays until we close at 6pm) Erin and I heard someone come in, but we wait until they ring the bell before we go help them. Well, it took longer for this person to ring the bell and I was debating whether or not I should go up when we finally heard the bell and Erin went up to help them.

I continued on with my work for a few seconds, until I heard Erin yell, rather loudly, "Stephanie, can you come up here please!" Not thinking anything was wrong I go up front wondering if my mom had come in or something. I turned the corner and saw a man with the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up over his head and nylons over his face. At first I thought it was a joke and I almost laughed. But then the man demanded the money from the register. It took me a second to really register the fact the this man was trying to rob us. I explained that I couldn't open the register because I don't have a key. I guess he didn't believe me because he kept swearing and yelling for us to give him the money. I just repeated that my boss is the only one with a key and he wasn't there. I don't what he expected us to do. Finally, I guess he got the hint because he yelled "Fine, but I'll be back!" and then he ran out. Erin called 911 and I ran to the window to see if I could get a better description of him and watch where he went.



Luckily, my boss showed up as he was running away and I told him what happened. Having him there to back us up made me feel safer. I don't think I was scared while the man was in the store but after the fact I started to realize what really happened and I noticed my hands were shaking. I called poor Travis who was at home and asked him to come to the store. I think I really scared him. It was crazy with all the police officers running around asking for our story. They tried to find the guy but never did. When everyone finally left Erin was by herself but Travis (who was supposed to go to his other job) wouldn't leave her alone so He and I stayed until we could closed at six.

Getting robbed is a surreal feeling. You just have to pick up and keep going. Weird.

Swine Flu! or just a job

Trav and I have been sick lately. Or, rather Trav got a cold and then gave it to me. He's mostly over it but it just hit me yesterday. I decided to take the day off work to get better. Luckily, it is NOT swine flu. I was really worried because we can't afford to go to the doctor right now. Can I just say insurance stinks. But not for long...

Trav got a new job! Yippee. He'll be working at a Jr. High a few towns over. The best part is he'll get the best benefits. It covers everything which is awesome!!! I'm so excited. The downside is that he is just a custodian and I don't think he's thrilled with what that means. But he is amazing and will do awesome. He'll still work part time at the woodworking supply store which is an added benefit because he can still get deals on tools and a little extra income. I love you sweetheart! Congrats!

My Hero!

Update

No Pictures again! But I have a really good excuse. Travis accidentally left our camera in our friend's brothers truck. And we haven't gotten it back yet because this brother lives out across the lake. Therefore, all of our most recent pictures are across the lake too. I've been really bummed that I can't take any pictures because we don't have our camera. Anyway, here's an update of last week anyway.

Over a week ago, a man in our ward died. He was young, in his early 30s. He left a wife and 6 daughters under 10. Yeah, it was really sad. Our ward pulled together to help the family. So that is mostly what I did last week. Made dinners, cleaned the church for the funeral, then during the wake (he was polynesian) I was asked to sit at a table and have people sign in or write memories of Naki. It was one stressful week.

But here are the fun things that happened. Monday, I took off from work early to help my mom and sister make applesauce. It was a lot of fun. I love being with my family. Sometimes it really stinks that I have to work so much.

Tuesday I got to sit with my grandma while my mom and dad had meetings and classes elsewhere. I sure love my grandma, we watch Avonlea (an old TV show) and do crossword puzzles.

Thursday, after the wake Trav and I babysat my cute nieces. Claire is so adorable, snuggled with me. Addie was a challenge but she is so cute.

Friday my mom and I went shopping which is always fun. Thanks mom!

Saturday my mom and dad came over to watch the BYU game. It was fun to have them at our house but unfortunately BYU decided not to play.

Well, that is pretty much the update for us this week. Hopefully, we will have our camera back and I can post something other than my lame updates. See ya'll later!

Excuses, Excuses!

I have plenty of excuses for why I haven't posted on the blog for so long. Here are a few.

Girls Camp, work, Travis' school, Girls Camp, cleaning up mom and dad's house (before coming home), work, mom and dad coming home from Argentina, hanging out a lot at mom and dad's house, work, young women activities, helping mom and dad unpack stuff from Argentina, work, trying to get my own house organized, work, hunting season (not me, Travis, but I still have to help him get ready, and no he didn't get anything this year), work, more young women's activities, and more work. That pretty much sums up our summer.

We also took just a day off work to drive down to California to visit my brother and sister-in-law for their cute son's blessing. But that was in August so its old news.

Here is what's happening now (sorry no pictures, I have a few minutes at work and I don't have any here.) Travis and I are both working. Travis took the semester off of school to start a Statistics independent study class through BYU because this will let him bypass about 4 to 5 math classes he would have had to take at UVU. We'll let you know how he is doing when we finally get around to signing up for the class. I am currently working and still in the Young Women's presidency. I have 9 girls now and will soon have 10. I feel like I'm going crazy! Travis is the ward exec. secretary so between the two of us we are rarely home. I also go and visit with my grandma on Tuesday nights while my parents have meetings etc. I still go hang out with my mom every chance I get because she is just so gosh darn cool.

Well, that is pretty much it. I will really try to update this more now. Sorry for the six month hiatus. Love ya'll!

Bad Day!

The other day I had a really bad day. It seemed like everything was going wrong at work and my calling. Anyway, I was really tired but I had a meeting for YW, I didn't really want to go but I needed to so I left my sweetheart at home for an hour. He is the most amazing man ever. When I got home from the meeting I found these flowers waiting for me with Albertson's chocolate chip cookies (I love them).

Travis remembered that these flowers (alstroemeria or Incan Lily) are one of my absolute favorite flowers. I had probably only told him once but he remembered and made sure he got them. What a guy. He sure takes care of me.
Ironically enough these flowers are called Amancay in Argentina. They are usually yellow there and that was where I first fell in love with them. I didn't know they were alstroemeria until Trav and I went to Argentina for Christmas after I had taken my floral design class and could name it. I love flowers, Argentina, and my romantic and incredibly handsome hubby.

Tagged

So I haven't posted for a while because I just don't know what to talk about so when I saw my sisters tag I decided that I was tagged to. This is the sixth folder and sixth picture.

This is my cute niece Celia at the petting zoo at Gardner Village. We went there with my Aunt and cousins last fall. She loved the animals. I'm excited for my mom to come home so we can go to Gardners Village with her too. Love you mom!! Love you too Ce Ce!!

My New Favorite Song!

I just have to mention that I have a new favorite song. Its on my playlist. Its called Gotta Be Somebody by Nickleback. It is awesome! Enjoy!

We're Boring!

So I haven't blogged regularly because there really isn't much going on with us. But here's an update anyway. Trav is going to school, only two classes, and working at the tool store and I am working only two hours a day at the cleaners until I can find a more permanent full time job.

Our life is pretty routine lately. I'm slowly adjusting to being the second counselor in the YW. Its fun but weird because I'm younger than everyone by about 5 to ten years and I am the only one without kids. Trav still teaches primary, the CTR 5 class, he has a new teaching companion since I can't be with him anymore.

We're still slowly getting our house in order. I'm trying to organize all of our stuff, we have a lot. I love doing craft projects and our bedroom and office don't have pictures in them so I'm trying to come up with fun things to hang on the walls. Travis has fun keeping up with my projects. He is currently making a full length mirror for us (or someone else depending on the color is turns out to be) with his friend Courtney. He is such a talented woodworker.

That is pretty much all that is going on with us at this point. The pictures are mostly from our trip to Argentina. Love ya'll.

Bariloche Companario

We spent about 5 days in Bariloche. I love it there. It is absolutely gorgeous. In this picture we are on the chair lift goin up to the top of a small mountain where you can see everything around you. My parents are on the seat below ours. You can just make them out. Here we are at the top. As you can tell the wind was super strong. Sorry about the picture mom, it was the best one we had of all of us.

For lunch one day we went to the Swiss colony. It is really just a tourist spot that used to be where the Swiss imigrants settled but now it just has a very small little fair and a few nice shops. They have a wooden play area with a wood slide. When my sisters came to Argentina their little ones went down the slide along with my sisters. Therefore, my parents made me go down. I was so afraid of getting splinters in my bottom. Actually, I got going pretty fast and it was fairly slick so no splinters.

This picture is in the center of Bariloche. They have a nice plaza right next to the city center and shops. Aren't my parents just cute!

Shopping in El Centro (downtown) was so much fun. We did A LOT of shopping. There were so many things that I wish I had bought when I lived there so Travis made sure we had no regrets this time. This was a cute man who ran a glass figurine and porceline shop. We got a few cheap small statues from him. Then my mom asked him to pretend to make something for a picture, but instead he really started making something. He made and gave us a beautiful little glass rose.

El Chocon! The Dinosaur...

The day after Christmas we dove to Bariloche in the Mountains. On the way I wanted to stop at the dinosaur museum in El Chocon. Its kind of in the middle of no where. Anyway, they have the world largest carnivorous dinousaur there. I can't rememeber what its called but here it is.

Outside of the museum they have these petrified tree stumps. This picture is for Travis' dad who apparently loves petrified wood.


In the museum they had some artifacts from the ancient people who used to live here. We think these are boleadores. The gauchos used them for "lassoing" cattle (they had rope tied to them). I think it would hurt pretty bad to get hit by one of these.

Christmas!

Its been a while again but here are a few pictures from Christmas Day!

I think dad looks angry because I took a rare picture in his PJs. I hope no missionaries check the blog.

We had fun doing puzzles almost all day. It was awesome. I think we did like five puzzles just on Christmas.

Even though Travis says he isn't very good at puzzles we all know the truth. He was awesome. He fits right in to my family and was able to find the pieces no one else could.

The First Few Days

As promised, here a few pictures of the first few days in Argentina. We spent the first week or so in the mission home hanging out with my parents. My mom and I love Kinder eggs which are originally from Germany but they have them in Argentina. They are a yummy chocolate shell egg that has a toy in the middle. We collected them when I lived there before getting married. Here we are checking out the new toy.As you all know it is summer in the other hemisphere and my parent have beautiful yard. Here is just a sample of the beautiful flowers that are blooming in their backyard. Travis loved taking pictures of the flowers.

This is a picture of mom and me hanging out at the church in Cinco Saltos. Dad had interviews with the missionaries here and we all tagged along. Mom is on the phone because even though we were there and they were taking a little time off they are still missionaries and had to help the sick elders.

Here is Travis hanging out in the church. It was so hot inside and out. We found a room that had ceiling fans and that to cool us off. Isn't he so handsome.

My cute parents took us to see the cinco saltos (for which the city is named) after the interviews. You can see them way in the background, they are kind of like man made waterfalls. It was sooooo much fun to be with my parents.

We Fell Off the Face of the Earth...Sort of...

After a very long break, I am going to try to get back into blogging. Many of you who read my blog know that we went to Argentina to be with my parents for Christmas. It was the best Christmas ever. We had so much fun with my cute, funny, amazing parents. A lot of you may be interested to see pictures of them, so here are a few of my favorites. Since we took over 600 pictures while we were there I've decided to post them slowly only a few every day or two depending on when I can catch time. Hopefully, I will be able to post a lot. Love ya'll and hope you had a great Christmas!!!

On top of Companario in Bariloche


On the boat ride in Bariloche

Overlooking the Llao Llao (my spot) in Bariloche (dad was sick this day)

My cute daddy on the boat