Ugly Sweater Party

So our friends Hannah and LJ Nielsen (Todd's mission buddy), had us over to their house last night for an ugly sweater party. Todd and I went to DI Friday to find our attire and we found some good stuff. Todd even found a sweater that was actually really nice for three bucks (great store, haha). Todd had to work all yesterday so I did Saturday chores, took an english final and made some yummy treats for the party...YUM! I made chocolate, chocolate truffles (of coarse, what else would you expect from me), but some of them I put candy canes on for a festive flare, and I made chocolate dipped strawberries. (I also had plenty of leftovers to make some Christmas favors for my committee members and they ended up looking very cute I might add) Boy was my kitchen messy at the end! I was doing pretty good until I dipped everything but once I started dipping I had chocolate everywhere, I totally had an "I Love Lucy" moment...anyone know what I am talking about?:) (but like I always said with my roommates, food messes make for great food!). Todd was a little taken back when he got home but he had to finish the dipping while I got ready. The party was fun; but only four of us wore ugly sweaters, haha. We ate too much sugar and played one of our favorite games "Oh Hell" or as the Wilson's call it "Oh Darn". I won the second game by the way:). It was great to celebrate the season with friends, ugly sweaters and CHOCOLATE!

The food...YUM

The Nielsens' and the Altoms'

Merry Christmas from these two cute faces

Happenings....

I finally have a break to write on here (I'll try and post our amazing pics...they really aren't amazing, boring stuff really). It has been a super long time since we last updated this. So what happened in this last month in a half you ask? Well...celebrated birthday's like crazy (the highlight being Miss Olivia Grace), Todd went to NYC and brought me back a lot of goodies, celebrated Thanksgiving with our loved ones, was there the night BYU WON (probably the greatest moment of Todd's life...really!), we both got sick (Todd more than me), hosted a ward Christmas Party (that went fairly well but took way to much time but I am so happy it is done), Todd ran 10miles in two hours and now we are finishing up the semester!!! This week will be my last week for my internship (well working with the kids anyways) and as happy as I am to have a bit more time on my hands, I will miss the kids. It has been a very fun time and a great learning experience for me. I am even thinking (once we finally settle down somewhere) of starting my own after-school program. Todd is almost done with his IBC, in fact there last shindig is this Wednesday but it is only for his group. They broke even and will probably earn a little more so it is looking like Todd will get an "A" for that class. Both of us are looking forward to next semester! Both of us should have an easier load than this semester. Todd will continue to work at the diamond store and he is also on the SRC, which is the Student's Representative Council. He will be helping with advertisement for school things. I will have my last semester...woot, woot and hopefully we will know soon what is going on this summer so I can start looking for a job. Next semester I am working as a secretary in the Home and Family Department...and did I mention I start early in the morning...blah! Well thats the latest on our little family! We are ready for the Christmas and Mexico but are very much enjoying the Holiday Season! Love you all!!

Happy Halloween!

Well it’s been some time since we last blogged...and not much has happened. Both of us have just been busy little bees. Todd now has a new job. He is working at "Main Street Diamonds" in Rexburg. He seems to find jobs so easily (which is nice). He says the job is way laid back but I like it because he always has to dress up and it seems that is a good place to work for future presents:). Tonight I register for my last semester (woot, woot) and Todd will register for his second to last semester. We are very excited for this semester to be over and next semester is lookin pretty easy for the both of us (minus the fact I have to take a 7:45 class...blah...but who cares if I get docked points for being tardy, it's my last semester!!). This Tuesday Todd leaves for New York, I'm a tad jealous and I'll be lonely but he'll have a great time. This past week we celebrated Halloween (incase you all didn't, haha). Monday night for FHE we had our little newlywed friends over to carve pumpkins. It's funny that there really is no conversation when you're carving because everyone is concentrating. They turned out pretty well...but I don't think as good as last years. Saturday we had a party at our friends house and it was good times, good times. We had some costume malfunctions (seeing under bottoms through tights, my dress being huge, my wings being too small and Todd's top being a tad short) but with some help from our parents and friends, all was well and I must say we made a good Tinkerbell and Peter Pan (I'm sure Disney will be calling us for jobs). Halloween is such a fun holiday (oh and I totally won bobbing for apples, everyone else around me were pansies...including Todd) and we had a great time!

Todd, Keegan & Brit

The finished product

Our cute front door

Tink loves Peter

All you need is Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust

Brit's Wedding!

Friday, my best friend Britnee married my longest known friend Keegan Hunter. Thursday night, my other BF Rachel:) and I, provided some comic relief at the Stake Center where Brit and her family were decorating the gym. We also got the job of decorating the arch and I might say, Rach and I make a good team! It always amazes me that after three years and all of us living in different place and living in different times of our lives, we are still best friends and when we hang out, it is like we have never been apart. I love those girls!!! Friday, the big day, was a lot of fun but very busy! Mine and Rachel's goal was to make sure Brit wasn't stressed out on her wedding day, and I think we accomplished that goal. Todd made a comment that Rach and I were running around like chickens with our heads chopped off. Rach and I are sick of Wal-Mart. We had fun though and were happy to be of help! Brit and Keegan are so happy and Todd and I are so happy for them! After the Hunter's reception, we had the opportunity to have Todd meet my amazing guy friends from high school. They all just returned from their missions and it was great to see them all. They've changed but at the same time they have remaind the same, and I love it and love them. Todd fits in so well with everyone! All my guy friends told me I made an amazing choice; I have to agree. I am so thankful that some things remain the same but some things just get better with time!

The Happy Couples

Rach and Kyle, we had a hoot of a time:)

One year and a week!

Last Saturday Todd and I had our one year anniversary! We had a great day! Friday night we were able to go through that temple with my friend Britnee for her first time. We was so good to go to the temple; no matter what is going on in life, the temple always makes you feel loved and at peace. I was able to sit by my friend through the whole time, and it was so amazing to watch her go through. That night we stayed at a hotel called Destination Inns. It's a themed hotel and we stayed in Alaska! It had a cabin feel to it and was very nice. When we walked in, it had this cheesy "Going to Alaska" song and it was so fun! The next day we went shopping (tradition in our household) and went to TGI Friday's...yum! Todd and I decided that one of our traditions now is to get pictures on our anniversary, or close to it, ever year. It will be cool to see how our little family changes from year to year...hopefully next anniversary, our little family looks a little different:). Our now great friend and now our family photography, Julie, took our pictures. She was so excited about everything so it made the photo-shoot super fun and made us excited to see the pics. We had a great day together and we are still so in love, more in love actually, than we were a year ago. I wonder what this year will bring...

Here are a few of our favs...

p.s. my husband is incredible good looking, just look at him

One year...well almost

It has been a long long long times since I updated this. Life has gotten busy for us Idaho Altoms. Our little apartment is coming together, a few more trips to IKEA and some more paint will satisfy my decorating for awhile. We love our new couches, they are so comfortable if anyone wants to visit:). My internship is fun but very time consuming. Waking up early is still a big challenge but I'm working on it. Todd is very busy with his IBC class but is excited to get his little business up and running (hopefully it will be a sports lounge on campus). This weekend Todd and I will be celebrating our First Anniversary!! We will be going to the temple, getting family pictures done:), and eating cake, sounds like a good day to me (hopefully we don't have homework). Todd and I have almost made it a whole year...who would've thought?! haha, jk, this has probably been the easiest, happiest year of my life (I think Todd would say the same thing, I hope). It is fun to think what was going on a year ago this time...I was not stressed at all and extremely excited! So what have I learned after a year of marriage, well:

-home really is where the heart is (after 4 different apartments)

-Todd knows all the words to "Baby Got Back" and it has become one of my favorite songs because I love to watch him dance and sing it:) haha

-Men really will eat whatever you make...but will tell you later that they didn't like it

-Pillow talk is the best time of the day

-My way is not always the way to do things (but it is the best way, haha)

-Laundry sucks!

-Todd is the funniest, cutest person ever

-Marriage is the best thing in life (well with the gospel and kids/family)

-The Gospel is True

-Todd is my best friend and can get me up and down a mountain

-Everyday you can love a person more than the day before

-And...anything that this crazy life throws at us, we will make it through together.

I'm so blessed to have Todd be my seat buddy through this journey. Love you Todd! (see I updated it!)

Goodbye Iowa...and APX

Tonight is my last night her in good ole Iowa. Yesterday I ran some errands and realized that I am a little sad to leave this place. I hate saying goodbyes, even with places and things. Although we only lived here a short time, along with Reno, they are places Todd and I lived and grew (and I attach easily to things and people.). West Des Moines is very pretty. It is green, and clean. Our apartment is nicely located by target and an extremely nice mall (which was my second home here). It lacked some things though: dry air (although it wasn't to bad, I grew accustom to it), mountains and hills and a near by Taco Bell...oh and of course family and friends:). Last night I asked Todd what he is going to miss about Iowa or this summer and he really had nothing to say:). We had a long summer with ups and downs and learned a lot. We are so excited to come home and be with family and friends again (I'll have to actually get ready again, dang). I fly home tomorrow and Todd will drive home next Saturday the 29th! Can't wait to see everyone!

WE HAVE A STORY

I feel like we haven't had to many funny stories this summer but we finally got one. So picture it...a nice Sunday morning. Todd and I woke up and decided that we wanted to go swimming after church (I know, not the best Sunday activity). We got ready for church (I might add that I was ready 15 mins early) walked outside and it was raining. We went to church and during the meeting we kept hearing thunder. After church we came home; rain still drizzling but not bad. The Vogs said they were heading to the pool but I thought it was too cold to swim and a little bit later we got a text saying that the Vogs felt the same way too. Todd and I decided to have a little BBQ in the apartment and made Jucy Lucys. Here is what went wrong with those things...not enough cheese in the middle so it melted out, the smoke caused our fire alarm to go off, I bought cabbage instead of lettuce, the avocado was not rip at all, I burnt my hamburger buns (oh and they got smushed by the checkout guy), corn on the cob got cooked a tad to long (because it took forever for the hamburgers to cook), but with all that said, it was a very good dinner:). While we were cleaning up, the hurricane hit! Not an actual hurricane but it looked like one. Todd and I went out on the balcony to watch. I had watched "Dr. Phil" earlier this week and he had a guy on that got struck by lightening so I started to get this awful feeling we were going to die. I went to go back inside but Todd had accidently looked the door when he had come out. WE WERE TRAPPED! And we were going to get struck by lightening and die because we wouldn't be able to get help because we were so high up! Thats what I thought, but I was a little dramatic. I also discovered yo tuve que ir al bano. Neither of us had our mobiles, which is a rare occasion. Todd said he could just jump off but of course I thought he would die, either by the fall or the lightening hitting him. After awhile on the balcony, and against my advice, Todd jumped...and he LIVED! He did get a sliver though. But he ran up the stairs to save his damsel in distress, oh so brave:)! Later that night Todd made homemade brownies...he truly is the man of my dreams. And we both lived happily ever after...THE END!

Here ya go Todd:)

Todd said I "HAD" to do the blog today (even though he and Shelly and Debbie are the only ones that look at this, haha).

The summer is almost over...the countdown now begins and Todd and I are so excited to come home! I will be home in 18 days:) and Todd will be home by August 30. We are already booked for summer fun when we get home but if anyone else wants to do something we will fit everything in.

A couple weeks ago Todd took a day off and it was wonderful. We went to a place called "Sleepy Hollow Sports". It was a little ghetto but fun. We were able to do miniature golf (I won), bumper boats, go-carts (I won that too), batting and rock climbing. Later that day we went to an Iowa Cubs game that was free because we moved into our apartments. The home team lost but it was nice to be able to watch a baseball game. It was our one day of summer and we had a great day!

Todd is doing great with sales again. His goal is to get 135 by the end of the summer and I think he will be able to do it. He hates this job but he works very hard so that we are comfortable this next school year and I am so grateful for that. I work and hang out with Brooke and her boys (the usual but fun). I was able to do a little shopping last thursday and I had an AMAZING time, haha. Thanks Todd! Well I guess that is it for now...Thanks to whoever reads this! Love Ya!

Nauvoo

Todd and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Nauvoo this last Sunday. Neither of us had ever been so it was a neat experience. We were able to go to the temple, take the Community of Christ tour of the Joseph Smith properties and also go to Carthage. The whole time Todd and I kept saying how lucky and happy we are to be members of the church and to have the truth in our lives. This adventure was a testimony builder and we are so glad we did it. We are thankful to have our testimonies and to know that we, and the rest of our family, will be together forever. We are thankful for Joseph Smith and all he did, and the pioneers. We also kept saying how excited we are to be done with this job for the summer and come home!!! Can't wait to see you all!

4th of July weekend

Cute Red Heads

Don't ya love the sky, and Todd's hand, haha

BT, Brody and I waiting for sparklers

This past week had really good weather, warm but not too humid. This good weather would not last for the weekend. Friday night Brooke, her boys and I went to a 3rd of July parade in West Des Moines. It was pouring!!!! It was kind of fun just standing in the rain but the parade was lame. The parade consisted of fire trucks and candy, thats it. Brooke and I helped the boys load up on candy; enough to probably last them the rest of their lives. Todd came home that night a tad early (9 instead of 9:30) and we were able to go see "The Proposal", funny movie, we recommend it. On the 4th Todd went to work early and Brooke and I went to another parade in a near by city called Waukee. The parade was a little better but people must not believe in floats here. Todd sold one on the fourth and was home by 5. We went out to dinner with the Vogelsberg's and then to a park named Raccoon Park for the fireworks. The cops there were cranky!! I was crossing a small street with Brody (who is almost 2) and he yelled at us for going to slow (apparently he doesn't know a toddlers legs are short). The fireworks were pretty good, no music (and not at all comparable to the second best firework show in America...Idaho Falls). The fourth was ok for Todd and I, haha. The 5th was much better. Todd played some basketball with other guys in the office and that night we went to a mall that is close to our apartments for another firework show. This mall has a huge pond in front of it. There was a live band and venders so it was really fun. The firework show was good and included music:). Todd and the other boys (older and young) tried to catch little rabbits all night and finally caught one (I swear Todd is a 8 year old boy trapped in a man's body, haha, thats a good thing). We had a pretty good weekend. Sales are going OK and hopefully will pick up more. Well thats it for now, we love you all!

And here we have Iowa!

Well, for those of you who have talked to me since the very beginning of this little Iowa adventure...it has gotten better. The drive was loooonnnng but we got through it and I had a really good time chatting with Todd. We were also very excited to hear of Craig and Jac's great news about Olivia! We are way excited to have a niece and she will probably be spoiled from your uncle Todd and aunt Ashleigh (probably just her aunt but with her uncle's money). We arrived in West Des Moines at about 2 in the morning. It was way humid and our apartment was way hot and I had a headache; so needless to say my first impression of Iowa was not so good. The next day was also very hot but followed with a tornado warning. Todd ended up not working that day due to weather but neither of us saw a tornado...dang it! After that day the weather got better; both Todd and I seem to be handling it; to bad it wont stay this nice for to long. Sunday we got lost for an hour trying to get to church but the ward seems awesome (everyone there has either newborns or is pregnant...I don't fit in...). Todd and the office are having a slow start with this move but I am sure things will pick up; Todd is such a trooper and will continue to work hard. Todd and I both think this place is beautiful; it is so green and clean. Our apartment is in a nice area and by great shops. (Todd just sold one, haha) Well thats it for right now. We are excited for our first 4th of July as married folk (sad we wont be in IF) and look forward to many happy memories together here in Iowa. Love ya all! 

Last weekend in Reno

Thats my man...I was proud I got him jumping

Todd and I at Tahoe

This is as much in the water as I got

So basically we are done with Reno. We are off on a new adventure that hopefully holds a lot of opportunity. This week has been a good week...I'm trying to think about what we have done but I can't haha. Todd told me we were moving this past Saturday so I basically packed up most of our apartment and come to find out we aren't moving till this next Saturday. I guess I got a good head start. Todd in one of his sales got an I-Phone which is really cool. It is his second phone he has received for free while doing this job, haha. It is not unlocked yet but it will be something new for me to play with once it is unlocked. This past Sunday Todd and I went for a picnic up to Lake Tahoe. It was really cold but really fun and very pretty. Todd wanted to have lunch on top of a rock so that probably made it colder. So...our plan was to swim in the water but it was freezing...but we did have our swimsuits on none the less. Todd however forgot to bring swim bottoms so all he had was his speedo that he wears underneath (well sometimes...other times he just likes to show off his speedo). So my husband stripped down to his speedo and stood on the highest rock he could find...what a sight:) I love that boy, even if he is crazy. After Tahoe we made a little trip to Virginia City, I like Yellowstone better but it was fun to walk around for a bit. It was a nice day to spend with my honey! So we will be moving to Des Moines, as of right now, next Saturday! Des Moines will be fun I think, close to Nauvoo so that will make a good Sunday drive and it will be the farthest east I have visited in the US so a new thing I've done. Well thats it I suppose, hope all is well with you all!

Weekend at home...

My pretty sister-in-laws

Daxton-CUTE boy!

Korver-he is growing like crazy, cute

The family...minus Todd

So in love!

I had an amazing time this weekend. It was good to go home for a bit. Friday night I played with Brit and Speny...I love those two crazy kids. Saturday was my grandpa's 80th birthday party. I am so blessed to have the family I have; they are amazing! I'm glad I could be there for this celebration. My grandpa is truly an amazing man and I am so lucky that he is my grandpa! I have the best grandparents and family in the world. I did miss Todd a lot but he is such a great guy to fly me home for the weekend. I know he wishes he could have come but he is a very determined boy:). I felt like I was in high school again...which was weird, but it was nice to be at home and have my parents take care of me, and sleep in my dungeon of a room (I slept soooo good!). Sunday night my parents took me down to Utah to see the Altom's for a bit. Monday we had a sister-in-law day. It was Daxton's bday so we first went shopping for him. It took awhile for him to find something but when he did he was in love. He got "Bolt" and loves him (Bolt is even in his 3 year old pictures). We had lunch with the girls and played in the park. I always wanted sisters and now I have the best sisters anyone could ask for. It was nice to see my family and friends but I missed Todd a lot and I am happy to be back with him. Maybe in a couple weeks we can both go visit family again. Thanks to everyone who put up with me for the weekend! Love ya all!

Just singing in the rain, just singing in the rain...

Holy cow the rain!!! It has rained everyday this week! It was nice on Monday because Todd came home at 6! It was wonderful. We went out to dinner Monday night for our Memorial Day earnings. The crappy thing is that a bunch of people don't have cars out here so Todd and I become Taxi for a ton of people! We had to take soooo many people and everyone called me 10 minutes before we left, but thats ok...we need to be nice. Oh oh for all the ladies out there...every first tuesday of the month there is a sale at www.tulle4us.com, it is awesome! I got 5 really nice articles of clothing for $42 dollars including tax and shipping. It starts at midnight so it was a late night Monday but worth it. Last night Todd and I registered for classes...6 more months for me, YIPPY! I think this next semester will be the busiest for Todd and I but after it, its only downhill. It's pouring again today and I hope Todd doesn't get washed away. I'm so excited to come home this weekend but it will be the longest Todd and I have been apart...sad, but I'm excited to see a bunch of you! love ya all!

Sunday BBQ

Todd and Brody at our Sunday BBQ

Brock chillin

Brian Trey playing with Todd

and bug eyed Brody

While in Reno...

Brock at the Children's Museum

I wanted to play in the costumes too but I was to big

Brian Trey and Brody...oh how cute!

Brian Trey and I painting away

Reno...week something...

Well we have been in Reno for about ummm I don't know how long...a month? Reno is still pretty windy but it has warmed up a little bit, enough to go to the pool. The pool is cold but it's warm laying in the sun...my goal is to be tan, very tan by the end of the summer. Brooke, her boys and I have finally been finding somethings to do. We went to a children's museum last saturday and well it is comparable to the zoo here but it kept the boys entertained for four hours so not bad (and we were the only people there, haha). This past week I was sick...and it stunk! I didn't do much this past week except watch tv and sleep. Friday the pool opened here and we spent Friday, Saturday and some of Sunday playing in the cold cold water, haha. Sunday Todd and I had a nice BBQ with some friends. I made my first potato salad and it turned out well if I do so say myself, made two BDay cakes for Brooke Lowe's son Cooper and made smores...Yum!!! It was a good Sunday! This morning Brooke, the boys and I went to an inflatable gym thing, it was a lot of fun and Brooke's boys are soooo cute!!! Todd is doing great with sales, he is a very hard worker and I love him and appreciate all he does. Well thats it for right now, Ill try to upload a video and pictures later! Have a great week everyone!

Week Two...

So...Nevada is still cold and windy. I really thought this place would be warm, but no, not at all. This week has been pretty good. Todd is averaging one a day and I finally know how to do my job. I only messed up one thing of paperwork (well "we" technically) but now Camilla and I are doing good. Our oven got fixed this week so no more batter (unless we want some) and I was finally able to locate those dish sponges that you put soap in; I had to go to three different places and the one I ended up getting sucks, shish. Oh oh and if anyone feels like it...Reno also doesn't believe in the 100 calorie grasshoppers either, so if anyone wants to send them to me I'd probably feel like a missionary who hasn't had sweets in 18 months:). I have been trying to upload the video of the apartment but it wont upload so I am going to have to just post pictures so I'll do that soon. Well I think that is it for the moment...let me think...yep thats it:) ta ta

NEVADA...worse than Rexburg

Well hello! So...Todd and I are in Reno and I was expecting a warm sunny place. On the contrary...Reno is cold and very very windy! I will never again complain about Idaho's wind. Our apartment is pretty ok, furniture is good, place is fairly nice just a little 80's looking (I will post a video of it tomorrow). We took a Sunday drive to Lake Tahoe and it is very beautiful! I have decided Todd will make enough money for us to by a vacation home there (all are welcome to visit, mi casa es su casa). The ward is very friendly, well at least the women. I think it will be a fun ward to be in for a bit. The season officially starts tomorrow, so Todd and I will be employed once again. I need to pick up some hobbies for the summer. Brooke, a wife in the office, not Brooke the manager, and I are going to find the library this week. Brooke has three cute boys so if I get to bored I can go play with them:). Lets see...oh bad things...Todd almost broke off his big toenail...his poor toenails...they have been through a lot, the mattress smells like smoke, the oven doesn't work and I guess thats it. Oh Friday I made blue berry muffins but then I discovered the oven doesn't work so Todd and I ate batter...it was good:) Well I guess that is it for the moment. I'll post tomorrow. ta ta

The End...

Todd and I are happy to announce...that we are almost done with school:)!   A little less than two weeks I will be a Senior once again and Todd will be something, haha. Both of us are so excited to have a break from school. This was supposed to be my hardest semester but I didn't feel like it was. I'm happy to report that I have an internship for next fall. I was asked by my teacher if I would be a site coordinator for the After School teaching thing I am in right now. I hope to get some experience in a hospital soon but this internship makes us able to possibly have babies soon:). Todd had a hard semester but has done good to stay on top. Todd is really excited to start summer sales this year. As mentioned before, we will be going to Reno, which should be a lot of fun. I am going to be an Office Assistant so I can help to bring home the bacon as well. We look forward to spend some time with family and friends before we leave...and too sleep on an actually bed. We have already started moving things to my parents so an air-mattress in our living room is the only piece of furniture we have. Well that is it...maybe something really exciting will happen. p.s. monsters vs. aliens is pretty darn funny!

Update 2.22.09

So Ashleigh and I haven't been very good at updating this blog.  Maybe we'll try harder.  As you can see, Ash added a beautiful slide show that is full of pics from the past six months.  Right now we are still chugging away at school and both ready for the semester to end.  Ashleigh starts her second block classes tomorrow and come to find out on Tuesdays and Thursdays we won't see much of each other.  Sad day.  Haha, wow I find myself sounding just like my wife.  The place where I was working (Progrexion) shut their doors in the middle of January so I have been enjoying the unemployed life lately.  We try to find time to go to the temple and really feel like we need to go even more. 

Hmmm... what else... Umm... this summer we will be selling for APX in Reno, NV.  That will be nice because it's only eight hours away from SLC.  Plus it's not ugly, humid, boring, Tulsa.  Ashleigh will hopefully be able to get a job this summer and we can both finish school within the next year and a half or so.  Oh, wouldn't that be nice.

Updating the blog no one sees...

Well hello! I decided to update this blog, although no one, including Todd and I never use this. Todd and I are finally done traveling and I think we are ready to travel again. We want to leave that we will probably go to Utah this weekend if our family will have us. We had a great Christmas and New Years; our firsts together. School seems to be going good. My school is really easy at the moment; I'm only taking 11 credits but I'll start taking 14 in a couple weeks. School is going good for Todd; he is trying to crack down and studying a lot. Todd's latest project is trying to get his Iphone unlocked but the phone is winning. Well thats it, ta ta.