Janno and Danelle

2011-12-27T09:06:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Baby, Baby, Baby, Oh....

2011-12-24T08:51:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you have noticed that all my post titles are songs/lyrics with "baby" in them. Perhaps you haven't. Either way, I have baby on the brain all the time. Mostly because it's the biggest thing to happen to me since my marriage (screaming: MAJOR LIFE CHANGE). Also, I can't ignore the fact that Baby C calls all the shots when it comes to my daily activities and consequently I am very aware of his presence. I have 84 days until my due date. I have less than 100 days until my due date. I am in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy. I have 12 weeks until this little man gets to join the rockin' party at the Champ house. Bring it on little man-we can't wait to hang with you.

Baby It's Cold Outside

2011-12-20T09:40:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all!

Another 12 months has passed since our last 12 month recap and we cannot believe how many things can happen in one tiny year. Daniel and I have been so blessed. We love this time of year as we celebrate the birth and life of our Savior as we enjoy time with friends and family.

January was pretty much just there. We lived and loved, and most likely laughed.

February was fantastic as we discovered Matt and Carla were pregnant. Danno got a raise at Moss and surprised me with a new purse for V-day since Yuki ate mine.

March was a sad month as Yuki had her everlasting accident. We did finally get air conditioning for our upcoming summer.

April was a much better month than the latter as we met Brad and Tiana our new ward friends. Evonne flew into SLC and ran a marathon and Danno started to become a regular at the Thorup boys' Man Night.

May was a big month for our friamily (friend family)! Ian got a girlfriend.

June was a monumental month as Scott and RoquesAnn got married and we apparently got pregnant! Ian and Lindsay also decided they were getting married.

July is our favorite month since we found out on the 13th that we are expecting a lil' baby! We also celebrated our 3 year anniversary. My sister Julie had her sweet baby Andrew and Evonne and family made their yearly trek to Utah.

August brought wonderful friends and memories. Danno turned the big TWO-FIVE and we had an awesome weekend when some converts from his mission surprised us. We love the Cookes. They are our heroes. We told our families we were pregnant and the Cookes were able to share that experience with us. We also found out that Rand and Kim are expecting baby #4. We also finally found Dr. Nebeker to fix Yuki. We also got to meet our baby doctor- Dr. Terry and were able to see baby and baby's heartbeat. So sweet. Also, baby EZ was born-surprise!

September made us realize how old we are. Danno had been home from his mission for four years, it was the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.

October was lovely as Ian and Lindsay got married. I was a bridesmaid and barely fit my four-month belly into the bridesmaids dress. We also found out that baby is a BOY and we went to St. George with the Champs as our anniversary present. We saw The Little Mermaid at Tuachaun and it was awesome!

November was humbling as we joined together as a family. Jonelle found some lumps and causes for concern but thankfully we found out they are not cancerous. Phew!

And now here we are in December, 28 weeks pregnant, Yuki's leg is finally healed, many friends married, many babies on the way in our family, we have our health, and we feel so grateful for the ways the Lord has blessed our little family. Sending much love!

Love,

Daniel, Janelle, Yuki and baby boy

"Hit Me Baby One More Time" -Britney Spears

2011-12-07T06:54:00.001-08:00

26 weeks.
I'm feeling very pregnant these days. This morning I realized touching my toes is harder than it once was. Luckily, I'm in the great part of my pregnancy. My emotions are fairly leveled off, I'm not swollen yet, I feel like myself, I can eat, and things aren't too smelly. Also, baby is so very wiggly. Two days ago I was worried because I hadn't really felt him move much. I told Danno I was worried and he consoled my poor little heart and we included baby C in our prayers that night. Twas' not hours later that baby C was kicking up a storm. Since then, he has not stopped moving and has taken to kicking my bladder as a fun little game. (I'm glad you are okay in there lil' guy-but ease up on that new game) I'm also fairly sure that he had hiccups too. So fun, so freaky, so soon. 14 more weeks until we are legit padres. That's cray-cray (reference taken from Penny on "Happy Endings." Great show. Watch it.)

Announcing...

2011-10-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

a sweet little baby boy.

we love our little man.

we are so happy you are coming in 20 more weeks.

D.A.C

2011-10-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

I love this boy.
Seriously.

Good looking, hard working, understanding, loving, manly man- you are the bomb.

16 weeks down!

2011-09-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

16 weeks, feeling well, and excited.

Ok, 16 weeks, feeling great, and SUPER excited!

16 weeks. feeling awesome, and ready for the lil' ninja to make his/her appearance!

Bring it baby!

side note: we will know if he is a he or she is a she on october 21st.

Not quite a craft, but cute.

2011-09-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

In my last post I promised to make more crafts, but so far I have only succeeded in making a baby. But isn't it just the cutest little blobby thing ever? I go back to work next week and I'm sad. However, I have decorated for fall, cleaned all my carpets, kept my house clean, spent oodles of time with my mom and sisters, completed my 1st trimester, made breadsticks that weren't gross, baked a lot, and helped Danno with homework. All in all, I chalk this up to a successful off track time. I wish it were longer.

Crafty crafterness

2011-09-09T16:28:00.000-07:00

I love being off track. I say that every time. I know- I'm aware. But I just want to make sure you are all aware. I decorated the house for fall yesterday and I got the craft bug so I made this fun little tree thingy. I keep seeing decorations like this and I really wanted one. As I was browsing Martha Stewart online I saw something reminiscent of this and then realized that I had an endless supply of dried up sticks! This is all thanks to our stinkin' garbage trees that are slowly, but surely falling on our house. Seriously, who lets a cottonwood tree and the poisonous banana tree grow in their yard?! Anyway, I just found some aesthetically pleasing branches, spray painted them black, made some ornaments, found some sparkly ribbon and a pot. I love having time to do things for my little house and family. Hopefully there will be more crafts to come soon.

2 1/3 and a puppy

2011-09-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, we are preggo! I am now 13 weeks and quickly departing from my 1st trimester of pregnancy. I am hoping that this means the painful symptoms are leaving as well. However, compared to my sisters and mother, my pregnancy has been really mild. I have only thrown up twice and just have back pain (so intense!) and nausea. This is the strangest experience. I totally thought when I became pregnant I would feel instantly different. Tis' not the case. I feel the same-I'm still Janelle, but I feel bloated and my belly is protruding. We had the awesome experience of seeing baby-bean via ultrasound and it was the sweetest and most adorable blob I have ever seen. Since then we are in love. Here is the short version of our pregnancy events:

I had a cough that wouldn't go away so I went to the doctors office if I could get a refill on my inhaler. We had just, and I mean JUST, started trying so I thought that there was a 5% chance I could be pregnant. Due to the medicine I was going to get they needed to check if I was preggo. Yuppers I was! I just laughed and giggled and couldn't control it! Poor doctor Vogelar just smiled and put up with me.
While at Barnes and Noble, I told Danno I wanted a book that compared our baby to fruit sizes. He thought I was crazy. But he still helped me find the perfect book and baby is currently the size of a peach. A sweet, fuzzy (baby has hair now), wiggling little peach.
Danno is now the official man for stinky jobs. He is the sole poop picker-upper, garbage taker-outer, Yuki tooth brusher, and other various scents that bum out my super smeller.

So that is it! I have the most wonderful husband who takes care of my ailing body and tells me how cute I am even though I'm chunkin' out. I am so lucky to be so loved. Baby is already so loved. Lucky lil' 1/3 of a person.

Tres Anos!

2011-08-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

Wonderful things come in threes. Amigos....
3 legged races....

Three years of marriage.

Oh yes, there are many wonderful things that come in threes.

Camping in the Spruces

2011-08-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

I love me some nature.

I also love sharing it with this huge bunch of yahoos.

Kelsie, Natalie, and Ashley felt the urge to chop wood and grow hair.

My dad enjoyed some much needed relaxation.

Scottie Pippen!

The boys.

The girls.

The worm.

The Dads (Wally is drawn on the plate)

The Moms

Look closely! Nasty lil' caterpillars!

Clearly born this way [Lady Gags reference]

The tiny tent. The tiny couple.

Look closely by Jack's head-there is another caterpillar hanging.

Beloved hammock.

Families were made to spend this time together. I love my family.

I'm coming clean.

2011-08-02T19:05:00.001-07:00

Danno and I have kept this under wraps for nearly 5 months now. Baby Yuks has had a hard life. We have only told close family and friends of this sad, sad leg. Yuki was on the forbidden couch and had no plans to get down. We nudged her off like we usually do, but something terrible happened. Yuki broke her leg. We rushed her to emergency where they had to drug the poor bitty baby up. We took her to her doctor where they performed surgery. FAIL. Yup, they did it wrong. We didn't find this out for 6 weeks. Enter surgery #2. FAIL. Did it wrong again. Enter surgery #3....Hold the phone doc-you only get to slice open and ruin my dog twice. We then found our saving grace Dr. Nebeker. No surgery-just proper bandaging and experience. Bone fixed! However, we have found out that Yuki has weak bones-which explains the broken teeth and broken bone. Sadness. So here we are, nursing our little dog back to health, doing physical therapy on her, and hoping for four legs by Christmas. There. I said it.

One year of Yuki

2011-06-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

I lost my camera cord for 2 months. Consequently, I didn't post anything because let's face it-little I say is interesting without a picture. So here I am back tracking!

March! Yuki turned one! In tradition with Guido (Matt and Carla's dog) and his birthday, we got her a kiddie cone from the big McDaddy's.

Yuki's new toy

Playing with Guido

Happy to be poor.

2011-03-11T07:13:00.000-08:00

I had a delightful realization yesterday. I love my life. I love the modest beginnings of life we have here. I like going to the Coinstar and making bets on how much we have in "chump change." I like getting excited about a $3 shirt. I like cleaning my own home. I love painting and decorating my own home and feeling that "chaaaaa! I did that!" feeling. Yes, money is wonderful and the harsh realization is that we all need it. However, I'm glad I don't have a bunch of it. I think it would drastically alter who I am or at least have the ability to do so. What was my realization? I want to live a modest life. I don't want my daughter to be hoisted on shirtless puberty stricken boys for her 16th birthday as MTV has glorified. I'm as happy as a Clam-pett. Turn around Jed. It is a much more fulfilling life if you do it yourself. Mow your own lawn, clean your own house, raise your own kids, and I'm pretty sure you will appreciate it all that much more.

I heart my bathroom.

2011-03-04T15:24:00.001-08:00

This is how the room started.

I apologize that I'm in this. But you get the idea.

Picture prints: $3. Frames: $0. Whale: $0.75. Blue candle: $birthday present from 8th grade.

Jars: $0. Q-tips:$2.89. Cotton Balls: $ 1.

Orchid: $10. Plant Pot: $2.50.

Shower curtain: $20.

i love it. so peaceful and zen-ie.

De-crapping

2011-02-10T20:27:00.000-08:00

Wowzas. I happened to check on my blogging world today and nearly dry heaved from my own background. I have a lot of stuff. My world is all tangled. [off-note reference: Tangled the movie made me feel 8 years old again. I loved it.] I have a part of me that loves the simple. I like simple, clean art, I enjoy my counters free of paper scraps, and general roughage that makes me feel stressed. On the other hand, I am not a perfectionist in the slightest. I like trinkets, I don't mind myself or others making messes, and I am fairly laid back. But then my alter-ego sets in and I must have things tidied up within minutes. I'm in the no crap, no slack phase. You know, where I do the dishes while I cook so I have minimal dishes crowding my sink. Also, the multi-textured background was so pink, glittery, and ropey, and hearty, and swirly. Thus the plain/jane until my inner art teacher emerges again. I hope she comes soon. This clean and tidy chick is no fun, plus she is anal about her bedtime.

I declare the sudden switch to be from my multiple assessments, test dates, and parent teacher conferences as contributing factors. Good thing both of us broads have a dreamy husband to serenade them with the guitar at 9:49 pm. That always makes us much happier.

A horse of a different color.

2011-01-26T20:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we feel the effects of our lack of free spending cash. Sometimes things like this happen. Sometimes I revel in the beauty of being newly married, new homeowners, out of cash, and making my hair look as if it belongs to him. My deepest apologies for the sick faces but it was hilarious to us that fateful weekend.

Hello Mr. Simmons

2011-01-17T20:36:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year all! So apparently I set my photo uploading size to a bazillion on our new computer. Some of you may have seen the giant hands picture that was on my blog for a day or so. I took all of these pictures ('tis one of my resolutions to be better at documenting our life) and uploaded them on the computer and the pixel size was GINORMOUS. So until I figure out how to shrink them down you will have to wait anxiously.

I have a new friend. A pen pal really. My sister Cindy had a pen pal when she was in 6th grade and I always wanted one. Well a friend from collage married a girl named Ashley. She and I decided to become friends on facebook and we exchanged emails back and forth and chatted here and there. We ultimately decided to become pen pals for the nostalgic factor and I received my first letter. This precious little bit of life came with the coolest present ever: a wallet signed by Richard Simmons. She and her husband also photoshopped me into a picture of her and Mr. Simmons. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship. When I can figure out my pictures you WILL be subjected to looking at my fabulous wallet.

Twelve months of granduer.

2010-12-22T19:54:00.000-08:00

It is almost Christmas friends. I am always in awe of the blur that is a year these days. As a little one, Christmas seemed to literally take 365 days to arrive, but in my ripe age of 24 it seems to come quickly. We have so much to be grateful for. We are healthy, happy, and in much lovey-ness. 12 months have passed since our last Christmas post. Those were crazy cool months friends.

January: Out of curiosity we decided to see if we qualified for a home. We did. We were shocked.
February: Creepy guy "Carlos" wants to get to know me. I didn't feel the same. We were further motivated to move. Also, we celebrated one of my favorite holidays: President's day [not really, Valentine's Day].
March: We celebrated our 2 year anniversary of engagement by taking the day off and going to museums and eating fondue. Hear hear!
April: We found some sketchy homes and threw down some moolah offers. But we were denied the stained, musty, blegh homes. We are ever so thankful. The phrase "hootay" was coined by us via a texting accident. Hootay!!
May: We found a home, put an offer down that day, and were in contract within 48 hours. Whew! We closed on our home May 19th. We then got our furry, chewing, gas bag on May 27th. We named her Yuki.
June: Our home hit a high of 95 degrees! So we moved to our "studio apartment" in the basement.
July: 2 years of wedded bliss was celebrated in St. George. I love love love St. George. It was fantastic! We swam, ate steak, watched Tarzan at Tuachan, and 2 am Denny's dessert run. Nuttin' better. I say we make it a tradition. I'm hoping we can go to Little Mermaid next year.
August: Danno turned the ripe age of 24 and had a realization that he is mid way into his late-twenties. It was still scary hot in the casa, but oh so lovely.
September: Danno had his 3 year mark since his mission. Matt and Carla introduced us to Antoine Dodson. We haven't been the same since.
October: Danno got his big boy job! He saw a job posting for Moss Inc. and decided to give it a shot. We were both very excited when he was contacted the same day, within the hour, to come and interview. He went through a series of interviews, 2 rounds really, and then was offered a postition as a technical designer. Hootay!
November: Two words: Arrested Development. I'm in love. Thank you IFC for running re-runs. Happy Thanksgiving! Turkey, bingo, and Ian all amounted to a successful Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for.
December: Danno has been offered another responsibility at work and is now the new CAP specialist for the Salt Lake site. We found a great Christmas app for Auto-Tune Christmas songs which entertained us for a few hours. We are so very thankful for all of our friends and family who support us and make life that much richer. We are grateful for the birth and life of our Savior. We sincerely hope you have also had a lovely 12 months. We look forward to this next year and the changes and challenges it will hold. Loves, hugs, and high fives all around! Merry Christmas!

Celebrity Look Alikes

2010-12-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I did a "Which Celebrity Do You Look Like?" face recognition website at the request of one of the young women I used to work with. This was one of my results. Lovely.

BRUCE LEE. Along with several unattractive past politicians from Asia. Several of them were men.

Perhaps you think my celeb match was brightened up by this beauty. Nope. This is Danno. He is a pretty saucy Latina from time to time.

This is Danno's other match. At least it is a man. But we all know Danno can't grow a handsome mustache such as that.

I suppose our faces are too distinctive to compare to any Hollywood beauty. That, or we are really unattractive people. Either way-we're cool.

Pregnant?

2010-12-09T17:39:00.000-08:00

Sorry everyone! I realize now that my baby room may be misleading.
I am sadly not preggo! But we are just clearing space for our eventual
baby. I hope mine has as much hair as this little cutie.

Deck the Halls!

2010-12-09T16:49:00.000-08:00

This is a little preview of our holiday decor for the year.

The Good. The Bad. And the Ugly.

2010-12-08T15:41:00.001-08:00

The GOOD!

The BAD.

The UGLY.

It is a Christmas Miracle!!

2010-12-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, we now have internet! Whoa. 7 months of dry, desolate tech-less lives. Living frugally has starved us of the shiny, glossy, tickle of the World Wide Web. We be back in BIZ-NAZ now! I know about 3 peeps read this, all of which have already seen my house, but here are some pics if you forgot what it looked like.

Our tiny bed. But in 1-2 weeks we will have a QUEEN size bed. We are just growing up.

This is our deck-but I am sure you figured that one out by yourself.

This is the hallway downstairs that leads to the office/laundry room and third bedroom. The office is way too messy for pictures.

Third bedroom

Here is our plain basement/tv/dart board/ and home of future hockey table top game

Basement Bathroom

Baby room complete with panda footie pj's for our future Canasian babies [Canadian/Asian]

Upstairs hallway complete with regal dog

Upstairs bathroom

Upstairs bathroom again

My beautiful kitchen, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, new cupboards...ahhh.

Living room. I love our great aluminum art and striped wall.

Entry way, complete with new door!

Living room again. Now the dog has her Santa costume on.

The F word.

2010-09-14T17:16:00.001-07:00

The infamous "F" word is for morons. Big dumb morons. I have been subjected to some of the world's dimmest men for over an hour.

Actual quote: "But I was like, those "effin" cupcakes looked amazing."

Yikes. I pray for better parenting around the world. If I was running for Miss America, I would wish that all children had nurturing parents...and a Thesaurus. Broaden those horizons boys. I silently pray you are all sterile after years of drunken mishaps during 4-wheelin'

Fancy Pants

2010-09-14T16:19:00.000-07:00

I must admit something. I am not the most graceful, most coordinated, most elegant or articulate little lady. I'm "quirky" as my loving mother and mother-in-law say. All this was brought to the attention of the world one Tuesday morning at good 'ol Monte Vista Elementary.

As a married, LDS woman, I wear something I like to call fancy pants. If you do not know what I am referring to, ask your closest Mormon friend. If that friend is me, call me and I'll expound. One morning I was running a few minutes behind so I quickly rushed out the door, smoothed my billowy granola/teacher skirt, and bolted for the car. As I pulled up to the school I saw Mr. Olsen. He is a young, single sixth grade teacher who is very nice. I say hi and wave and waltz into the school like I'm goin' places. I should also preface that I am one of maybe 8 teachers that are LDS at my school. My sweet and bubbly friend Lacy then meets me at the door where we greet and giggle and chat about life when all of a sudden Lacy says, "Oh! Um....Oh...Janelle, your skirt is tucked into your um....your um....pants?" [please take the necessary pauses and voice inflections implied by the punctuation to get the real idea of this humilitating moment] "Ah! Oh Lacy, thank you! I'm so embarrassed..." "Oh Janelle, don't be embarrassed, it's just me." Well needless to say, I'm sure Lacy is out there shopping right now trying to find some fancy pants of her own just incase of a mis-tucking mishap, a strong breeze, or perhaps just some breezy summer skivies.

Back in the swing of things!

2010-08-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

Well another year has come again and I am now three weeks into my second year of teaching. It has been wonderful doing this a SECOND time. The first year was so scary. But this year I am much more at ease starting school. I'm still no expert and I have already had a heart-to-heart with my class about their behavior, but I feel much more comfortable this time.

Danno and I were also able to celebrate our second year as married peeps. I am such an advocate of marriage. Who else would tell me when I have stuff in my teeth, listen to me cry about naughty children and dog poop, correct papers, buy a puppy and home with me, tell me my outfit is cute even when it's less than fab, and take care of me when I am all yucky and sicky? The answer is Danno. He is my best friend and I like him a lot. We went down to St. George and had a wonderful time! We saw Tarzan at the Tuachan, ate steak, went shopping and swimming, and lounged by the pool. I love Danno.

Yuki is still a baby to us. We love her most of the time. She is getting her sad surgury on Tuesday and will be sporting the cone of shame. Good luck Yuki!

Annual 4th of July 5K

2010-07-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

Angie bought Yuki her 2nd outfit. I was so anti-dressing animals up...until I saw how cute she is. Thank you Jonelle for her first dress!

Chloe is my girl! We are best friends!

Kelsie is from the "hood" in Texas. Actually not, but she sure tries!

Owen likes grapes

Here is the whole running team!

We started off our 4th of July like we usually do: by running in the Sandy 5K! Tanner took 3rd place in his age group, Evonne took 1st, and they both got sweet prizes! We eventually had a BBQ later which explains the last half of the pictures.

Yuki + Guido = BFF

2010-07-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

This is the photo recap of Yuki and Guido. Guido is Danno's cousins Matt and Carla's pup. They have a love hate relationship because Yuki often kicks Guido's trash.

Catching up!

2010-07-10T18:51:00.001-07:00

Baby Yuki tolerates my love

Baby Yuki loves Danno

The Champ Fam

Owee is allergic...but this was before we found out :(

The Domm Fam

The Kunz Fam

The Hilbigs @ our new house

Baby Yuki

Ok, here I am evading the heat of my casa and TADA! there is internet. So here is the picture portion of our life.

M.I.A.

2010-06-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks! Danno and I have had many life changers but unfortunately we don't have the internet! My iPhone won't let me update blogger so here I am writing a lame post with no pictures! We got our home! Hooray! We love it so much. It is about a billion+ degrees inside due to the lack of air conditioning. We also got a cute little puppy named Yuki. She is so much fun! She is an American Eskimo. We have all been battling the heat of the pretty new home. Poor Yuki crawls in our freezer when the door is open. So to sum up our life: House=amazing independence and scary morgage, puppy=like a new baby and chewed up furnature, Danno and Nellie=pure bliss.

Life is sweet.

2010-05-11T17:19:00.001-07:00

Danno studying hard for finals

Although the Utah weather is throwing us for a loop, Danno and I couldn't be happier. Danno just finished his semester and is enjoying a little break before he starts his summer semester and my work is getting a little smoother. Danno is looking for drafting jobs and beginning his life in a grown up job [sorry RL-red lobster-you just suck sometimes]. He also thankfully passed his marriage and family class. And work for me is getting better. End of year testing starts next week and I feel like I am finally making some progress with some behavioral issues with students.
Danno and I are also in contract for a home in Sandy near his parents. We love it and hope everything works out. We were supposed to close in three days, but due to a snag from the seller it could be a few more weeks. We cannot wait to have a little home! Plus a little home means a little puppy.
However, it has been a hard week for my little heart. If you watch Lost and aren't caught up-this is your spoiler alert so stop reading or skip over this.
I'm pretty sure I cried harder when Jin and Sun died than when my dog died. I love tv. I always have. I used to draw pictures of my family and I would include the tv. I would draw arms and legs on it and we were always holding hands. Call it what you want.

Mrs. Champion's the name, teachin' is the game.

2010-04-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

My cute friend Suzi wanted to see my classroom and I realized I had no pictures of it! Sadness. Because I have tried really hard to make my little classroom cave happy and fun. There is also a picture of Owen, which is not part of my class, but equally cute and bloggable. I only have 8 weeks left until I have completed the dreaded first year. Here are my favorites about teaching:

Getting sticky little notes and hugs.
Seeing them improve and being proud of it.
Listening to their growing up stories.

Quotes:

"You are so kind. No man-eating animal would ever eat you."
"I got a number from a girl at the mall with a mullet."
"Mrs. Champion, I wish you were my mommy."
"Will you be my teacher forever?"
"Sorry I couldn't answer you earlier. I had a huge mucous ball in my mouth."

Least favorite things: Dodging the huge booger my student flicked during gym.

Going Private

2010-04-10T20:45:00.001-07:00

Hello all! I'm going to go private so if you would like me to send you an invite please send me an email with your address.

jchampasaki@gmail.com

Confessions of a MAF: Married Asian Female

2010-04-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

Confession 1: Last week I went to my parent's house to kill some time while Danno was working. Suddenly I found myself rummaging through my old room. After discovering old notes from middle school, clog shoes, and too-short shirts, I found my wedding dress. Now I have been telling myself for the last two years that I should have had my dress taken in more through the waist because it was a little "roomy" when I got married. Call it delusion, whatevs, but I have felt skinnier than when we got married. Thus you would think the dress should have even more room. Negative. I decided to try on my wedding dress and I could barely zip it up. So I did what any wannabe bride would do. I sat and watched Dateline in my too-tight wedding dress.

Confession 2: I want to get a spray on tan. If I fork out the bucks I may be orange. But at this point, it may be better than my tranluscent skin.

Confession 3: The smell of stale cigarette smoke reminds me of theme parks, specifically DisneyLand. I kind of like it.

I hope this privileged information doesn't skew your feelings about me. Love, Janelle

Happy Easters All! [evonne come home]

2010-04-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

This post is mainly for my sister Evonne. I want to showcase how much fun we have here in Utah. This is my feeble attempt to entice her to move back here. Texas has nuttin' on us. Come home Evonne...I'll even give you a dollar and a handful of loose candy courtesy of the Miyasaki Easter Egg hunt.

Happy Easter to everyone else! I hope this lovely holiday warms your hearts and reminds us all of the better things in life.

This is how we roll

2010-03-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

We celebrated today by going to the Museum of Natural History and then eating fondue. Woo Hoo!

2 years ago today...

2010-03-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

Danno asked me to marry him! I naturally said yes. Here is the story for those who don't know it.
March 29th 2008.
Danno and I had been dating since he got home from his mission and had basically decided we were getting married (ok, we had completely decided we were getting married). Thus I knew a proposal was coming. We went with his family to Zions National Park for Easter. I had suspected something was going to happen on this trip because I heard his mom ask him if he was still planning on proposing (I'm quick like that :) ). However, Danno was so cool and collected I thought he had changed his mind about the Zions proposal. We had so much fun and I just forgot about the potential proposal!
We began hiking Angel's Landing at 6:30 am with Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Datus, and cousin Ben. It was beautiful and a little scary. As we reached the top I saw Danno start to fidget and he kept touching his pocket. Then it hit me. I started to get all squirmy and jumpy! The others let us go ahead and Danno put his arm around me as we looked out off the top of Angel's Landing and he said, "So, do you really want to do this?" I promptly replied, "what?" Quickly followed by, "Um, get married." I love this story! Danno may feel embarrassed but I love it! Then he got down on one knee and popped the question with this rock.Due to nerves and the overwhelming nature of the proposal, Danno didn't get to say everything he wanted to but he more than made up for it in a speech he gave at our wedding dinner. It made me, my sisters, mom and dad all cry like babies.

Party in the USA

2010-03-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

The aftermath of Champion Double birthdays. Love it.

Being off track for a month sure gets a girl used to living with her husband. I love that we actually get to spend time together when I'm not teaching. I just keep telling myself that one day we will be on the same schedule and this won't be for much longer. Danno and I went on a little vacation to the family cabin in Heber and enjoyed the lovely ice castles. We had fun prancing around Park City and such. Initially we were going to go to DisneyLand but adulthood settled in and we decided we would save for our casa.

Home update: We put an offer down on a 5 bedroom home about 3 months ago but found out we were outbid. Thus the hunt was on! We found another cute home, smaller, but nicer looking, and put an offer on that. Now we play the waiting game as the bank reviews our offer. This could take months. While you wait anxiously for my "we got a home/we still live in an apartment" post, here are some fun pictures.

Gaming

2010-03-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

Danno's best friend Ian went to Washington DC for spring break and let us borrow his Playstation 3. This is what we did for spring break. Gotta love those bare ankles.

Happy Birthday Ry Guy, Amy Lou, Jack, and Owee!

2010-03-11T20:56:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year again when snow starts melting, spring starts springing, and our family members get older. Please don't be offended if we haven't dedicated a post in celebration of your birthday. March just seems to be the month for babies for us. So this is our birthday shout out to our peeps.

Let's start with the oldest:
Ryan! Ry is 29 today and got to take cupcakes to celebrate his birthday with his friends at the Murray Green House. I constantly ask myself, "What would life be without Ryan?" He is such a special person who has the ability to make everybody laugh. Two of my favorite Ryan quotes this week are 1. "Hey Ry, who is that guy with the guitar? Is he your friend?" Ryan: "Yeah, that's Matthew. But he likes us to call him Firedragon." 2. "I don't like small dogs. They give me gas." Ryan is an awesome reader (especially when he reads to my class), brother, uncle, and friend. We love you Ry!

Amy! Amy is turning the tender age of 16. Soon the dramas of boys and driving will be more than her parents can handle. Amy is beautiful and kind. She is truly a Christ-like example and I look up to her in many ways. She is in a musical and is super stoked! All you teenage boys better watch your hearts 'cause Amy is "of age" and ready to rage! (I don't know what that means...it just rhymes)

Jack Jack! Jack is turning 7 years old! I cannot believe my grunting little nephew is almost 7. Jack is my bud and I surely miss him all the way out in Texas. July cannot come fast enough so I can run through the sprinklers, play legos, and talk Star Wars with my Jack-A-Roo-Pumpkin-Pie. Favorite Jack story: Jack saw breast feeding for the 1st time and asked "Ahh! Is he eating you?!" Cindy: "No Jack, Cam is just having some lunch." Jack: "Oh, [insert long pause for thought] Got any Cheetos in there?"
Owee! Owee is 2 and crackin' us up. This little boy has so much personality. We love him to pieces. Owee prays that Danno and I will be "good boys," tells people that Danno eats dogs, loves Danno to the max, likes to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Rhombus," and just makes us laugh. We love you Owee-O!

Dear House,

2010-02-18T17:49:00.000-08:00

Dear Apartment,
I have noticed that you have been falling below par lately. I do not mean disrespect, but I overlooked your paper-thin walls and grimy disposition at first. However, your recent development of black mold makes me feel wiggly inside. Your walls are deformed, you have a smokey-cat aroma, and we neither smoke nor do we have cats. Now the last comment is in no way your fault, but the creepy old man who seeks my attention and tells me he "watches me" then follows me around, has really tipped me off my rocker.

Sincerely,
Janelle

Dear House,
Thanks for being on sale for such a reasonable price. Please be mine and tell your friends at the bank to hurry, before I turn up in a garbage can in Nebraska (courtesy of the pervert neighbor).

Love always,
Janelle

Daniel Alan

2010-02-12T21:17:00.000-08:00

I told Danno that I did a post about my loves during Valentine's Day and he immediately asked: "Did you talk about me?" Although he was joking, I realized that I didn't mention him. Oops. But don't be fooled, our marriage is not in trouble and I like him lots and lots. Here is why:

Danno has been cool since day one. I remember our first encounter in middle school when we wore matching outfits for picture day [zip polar fleece vests were a hot item that year].
He now makes my lunches, works late hours, goes to school full time, hugs me when I'm sad, gets me flowers for fun, cleans the house, corrects papers, and he always lets me know how much he loves me. He is the best husband ever!

LOVE
Danno won my heart our senior year of highschool. We had lockers near eachother and he always dressed so trendy and smelled so good. We started dating in October of 2004. Twist alert: I had a boyfriend at the time but Danno was just so cute and the boyfriend was hunting so I went with Danno and BJ to the movies. Danno and I held hands [scandal!] and from there it started!
On my 18th birthday my mom came and checked me out to go to lunch with her. On my way out the door, Danno grabbed my hand and asked if I could wait a second. He went to his locker and pulled out a cd. He made me a mix and wrote explanations why the songs reminded him of me. In true teenage fashion, I got all annoying/excited/teenage-ish but I really decided I loved him then. My love for him has changed from the teen/twittery love to LOVE LOVE now, but I still get that twittery feeling whenever I see him. He is the bomb. There is no contesting that.

Daniel Alan, you're my hero. [exerpts of that quote taken from Ferris Buhler's Day Off]

I Heart Valentines Day!

2010-02-11T19:28:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is this weekend so I thought I would share some of my loves.

Love: Valentines Day. Pink, red, and white chromatic scheme. Hearts and happy things.
Love: Reality TV. Bachelor-I have a sick obsession which I am ashamed of but can't look away from the twisted love triangle (or heptagon...). American Idol, Project Runway, Biggest Loser, So You Think You Can Dance.
Love: Crafts and craftiness.
Love: Puppies and babies.
Love: Love.

Happy Valentines Day to everyone! I love you!

Tell me lies. Tell me sweet little lies.

2010-01-21T16:25:00.000-08:00

Teaching these last two weeks have been HEAVEN! Although an expected hell is on the brink of disaster, I am loving what I have right now. One of my students has particularly had me choking back snorts and giggles all year. This student has a problem. He is a compulsive liar. But I dare say he is the best kind there is. He is sweet and sincere with a wonderful heart. Here are some of the things that have "happened" to him in his short 8 years of life.

His brother got the Bubonic Plague. (Tough deal)
When discussing the moon: "My grandpa went to the moon! And my brother got to go there when he went to space camp!"
When discussing how our holidays went: "I went to Australia and swam with dolphins."
Only to be followed with: "I'm going to Mexico and maybe Vietnam for Christmas, but I don't know yet."
When talking about favorite sports teams: "My dad played for the Steelers and won tons of super bowls."
When discussing bullying: "My brother got bullied once. He was hit in the head and his eye popped out. But its in again."

I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow when we talk about the Cheyenne Native Americans! I bet his brother or his grandpa belong to the tribe.

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-19T20:51:00.000-08:00

Hello family and friends!

This Christmas season has gotten here so quickly and I can hardly believe it! In true Christmas letter fashion I will update you on the Champion family!

Danno is now 23 years old and still trying to grow his mustache. He has survived his semester at the University of Utah but is now transferring to SLCC to work on a drafting program. Danno is also serving in the Young Mens program as the secretary. We are still so happy to be living here in Salt Lake and not Logan. He surprised me for my birthday and got us Iphones! We also bought a car this year. Danno is enjoying his Scion XB. One day as we were leaving for a date he said, "Hello beautiful." Thoughts of his sweetness and lovey-doveyish stuff filled my sentimental little mind! Then I realized he was talking to the car as he rubbed some dust off it.

I, Nellie, am also 23 years old and working on not growing a mustache (I'm pretty good at it!). I am surviving my first year of teaching and enjoying the post parent teacher bliss. I can't believe that I have been teaching third grade for 5 months! It has been a whirlwind, but very rewarding. I am enjoying serving in the Young Womens program. We truly love our ward.

We both hope you have a lovely holiday as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. We love you all!

In my off track time I found some scissors and cut my own bangs....again.
Here is the moment I opened my birthday Iphone!
This is Danno hugging his sister Amy at the cabin.

Happy Thanksgiving All!

2009-11-25T11:55:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and family!

I hope you are all well and enjoying the beginnings of the holiday season. I have the Christmas fever trailing on my heels as Thanksgiving approaches. We are spending Thanksgiving with the Champion family in Heber this year. I'm sorry for the lack of posts but I'm sure you understand with your busy lives as well! Hopefully being off-track will improve our blogging life. We love you all!

We are alive. I promise.

2009-10-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

My resolution while I was off-track was to rev up my blogging life. However, I spent much of my blogging time admiring my friends, their children, their adventures with husbands, and fellow teaching careers. Here I am now three weeks into school and just getting to our update.

Life is just wonderful! I am loving teaching third grade and find them pleasant and cute. I have had some pretty funny adventures with the children. They make me laugh and frequently cry...from stress. But things are going well and I would like to report that I have gone 4 weeks without crying on the way to work! Woot! So far, I have been kissed on my arm, bled on, cried on, picked up, called Mommy several times, and so many other silly things. My mom always said the kids made the job worth it. She was so right.

Danno is still the best husband in the world. He brought me lunch at work today. He is surviving school and spitting on peoples' Endless Shrimp at Red Lobster. He enjoyed Fall break with Shawn and played lots of video games, pumped iron, did homework, and is still the best housewife a girl could ask for. I love him.

I smell something.

2009-09-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

The weather is cooler.
I feel the need to buy sweaters.
I suddenly feel like nesting and buying unnecessary, and possibly tacky, holiday trinkets.
Fallen apples on the lawn have a sharp and sweet scent.

IT'S FALL!

This will be my first fall in Sandy since my senior year in high school because I have spent my previous years in Logan. I love fall. I love everything about it. I love that it is jacket weather. I love gourds, kids in cute tights and sweaters, cinnamon smells, turning leaves, everything. I even want to throw myself another wedding in the Fall because it is ever so lovely. Perhaps I'll just settle for a Fall party. I think I will sit on my porch in a chunky sweater and sip cider while my neighbors all lay on their communal futon and smoke with all their doors and windows open. I suppose we all enjoy the Fall differently.

Be Glad

2009-08-27T19:35:00.001-07:00

SICK! We meshed our faces into our pseudo baby.

Danno: darkerish-white man, brown hair, nice teeth
Nellie: Asian, rounder face, black hair, nice teeth

Danno+Nellie= sick beak faced red head who looks like a thirty year old tax auditor.

I just wanted to know what they would look like. Curiosity killed the cat.

Life is Busy.

2009-08-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

Wow! School is going and I am in my fourth week of teaching. I have cute kids and some nuttty ones too but they are all very endearing. Teaching is HARD! However, it is getting easier and easier as I get the hang of it. I got so stuck in teaching that I didn't get to say goodbye to one of my best friends Holly when she left for the Peace Corps. This is a dark day. I need to remember the important things in my life and not lose my life in the educating of the children of Monte Vista. We have had a lot of family fun lately and herek are some pictures. I love my family. Here are some milestones we have achieved: Celebrated our one year anniversary, got an adult's paycheck, and decided in the next few months we are buying a car. Sorry Mommasita and Randizzle, babies are not part of our milestones yet...

Welcome back Kotter

2009-06-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

After my wonderful week at home I returned to Virginia to my Danno and humid conditions. Three days later, we packed up our car and drove to Utah. Experiencing one week apart plus the feeling of job security, we decided living apart for 2 months wasn't worth the 15,000ish we would make for the summer. So here we are livin' it up in Murray again! Shout out David Archuletta!!! Unfortunately our Virginia trip has set us back a bit so we are holding off on getting internet. Consequently, no blogging unless I'm pilfering the luxury of my parents or in-laws.

Oh bring them in from the fields, oh bring them in from the plains...

2009-06-04T06:58:00.000-07:00

That is right. I'm referring to your third graders. I HAVE A JOB! I am officially a third grade teacher at Monte Vista Elementary. These last few months of anticipation and lack of job positions can get a girl all worried. Thankfully I have a wonderful supportive family (yes Mom, Cheryl, Jo-nelle, and all their "connections") who have helped me to make good business decisions and calmed my troubled heart through this process. My mom and I have discussed this employment miracle and deemed all the credit to the Lord. I have been so blessed and am grateful for all the support and love of family and friends. So send your 8-9 year olds my way for some good ol' public learnin'. Love!

Feeling Sixteen

2009-05-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been a flashback of 2003 for me. I have found myself sitting in my pop's recliner eating popcicles, sleeping solo in my bedroom, eating dinner and not having to make it, and hanging out with girl friends. I flew back to Utah for some job interviews, well allow me to correct myself, ONE job interview. I am hoping for more, but apparently having a small Asian lurking around your school trying to pass out her resume is as desirable as having me pass out dubies to the kids. My dear friend Holly and I are off to be groupies and watch Chem's band (a boy from high school and former band-mate of Danno's). This week seems like a wonderful week of nostalgia, family, and friends. Wish me luck on the jungle hunt for a job!

Going WAAAAAAAAAAAY back

2009-05-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

Being here in Virginia and pretty much alone most of the day gets a girl thinking. Lately I have been thinking about how funny my life is and much of it is tied somehow into Danno. So, here is little insight into our lovely love.I am in the front row folding my arms reverently and Danno is being escorted off the stage by his father. (Note: One of my besties Suzi is concentrating very thoroughly on the far left)

Danno and I began at the very beginning. It's a very good place to start.
Miss Jackie had a charming little preschool where she nurtured young minds, but ultimately we only remember cinnamon toast and sitting in the table with the hole in it. That is correct! We started in preschool, but needless to say, we didn't date until a few years after that.
Sadly, Danno and I didn't meet again until middle school where my first impression of him was, "Man! That kid and I have the same vest on." Twas a lasting impression. We were awkward brace faces together and shared little waves and smiles in the halls but nothing ever came of it. I was painfully shy and awkward looking as my body went through several waves of ugly. Danno had identity crisis issues as he identified himself by duct taping his shoes, waving Canada flags, and bleaching his hair. Middle school is rough fellas. My dear friends Cassie and Annie were in love with my future boo and spent their time driving by his house in hopes of catching a glimpse of his toned...braces?
We got through middle school and I started coming out of my tween funk. High school brought fizzies and jitters as the world of dating opened its pearly gates. The first one at those gates was Daniel Alan Champion! It happened, oh yes it did. As my first date, my parents were on high alert. They admired his promptness in getting me home on time and proclaimed, "We like that boy. He's nice." From then on its history.
Silly high school moments swirled in and out of our pseudo-relationship but ultimately, he came home from his mission we watched Transformers and held hands. Now we are committed to only holding Champasaki hands.

we love it.

Living La Vida Loca...Clearly

2009-05-13T16:58:00.000-07:00

So here I am in our Virginia apartment as a cool breeze wafts through the house. Here are some of my favorite things about our new address as of late:

Everyone has an accent and some can't understand my "Utah" talk.
I was informed by my co-workers that the "mountain-folk," such as the kind you find on My Big Redneck Wedding, only come into "town" on the weekends and they deluge the mall. Apparently I have toothless, cheap, camouflage folks headed my way at the Valley View Mall. I'm STOKED. In case you aren't sure what these people may look like... I was also informed that the men sit outside of the store because we aren't a taxidermist/Gas Station/Walmart.
I was informed by my boss that Southern Virginia is a large producers of Daddy's Moon Shine, or "magic water." This truly is a magical place.
It is beautiful here. This is just outside of our apartment. We cannot believe how green it is!

From Graduating to Virginia!

2009-05-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been a long time since I last checked in via the blogging system. Our life has changed significantly since the last post. First, I finished my student teaching (thankfully) and graduated on May 2nd. It was surreal and magnificent all at the same time. I am looking for a job now because I'm a competent member of society with a degree! Woot!

On May 3rd we loaded up the Protege to the tippy-top and headed out east! Our friend BJ followed us too.

Our first stop was in Grand Island, Nebraska. It was flat and fairly boring along with an aroma of stank that left me dry heaving and Danno laughing at me. Unfortunately, no pictures were captured of sweet Nebraska

We then drove, drove, drove, and drove until we ended up in St. Louis. We walked around down town, past the Cardinals stadium, and to the arch. It was the highlight of our drive and Danno was particularly marveled with the grandeur of the arch. This jazzed him for his future career of

building/designing/civil engineering. There was a plaque that described how it was built by a civil engineering team. We also crossed the Mississippi and gave a hearty shout out to Huck Finn.

Four days later, after a slight tire complication and a few calls to AAA, we arrived in Roanoke! Sleepy and car-crammed legs led us up to our Pebble Creek apartment where we passed out!

Here we are playing "throw the rock in the beer can" as we wait for AAA to rescue us.

I Need to Read More.

2009-04-04T07:41:00.001-07:00

As I browse through my list of blogging friends, I like to look at what they post. Upon looking, I saw that my friend Laura has just finished Uncle Tom's Cabin. Thus began the reflecting. The last book I completed was Weird Stories From the Lonesome Cafe. Ah, you may not be familiar with it because I read it to my SECOND GRADERS. I am so disconnected from adult life and literature, so I beg you to give me some suggestions. Really, its for the good of the people.

Spring Fever Brings Lovey Feelings

2009-03-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

I'm a lucky girl. Clearly, he is a lucky man.
I found this and thought it was silly.

This is Danno before he left on his mission.

Top Ten Reasons Danno is the Manno:
10: He plays on "Expert" in Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Rock on baby.
9. He plays my little games. Why only two days ago he pretended to play duets with me on the keyboard for 20 minutes,
8. He helps me get get dressed in the morning. Sometimes finding an outfit is an awful predicament and he humors me with patience as I rummage through my threads.
7. He is a FUNNY man. I don't think anyone ever created can make me laugh like him. The young women in our ward tell me how funny he is, I tell them he is cute.
6. He is incredibly considerate. He will do little things for me like leaving notes on the bathroom mirror, making me cd's, cleaning, and lots of hugs when I lose my cool and curse the teaching profession.
5. He loves puppies...and kids. For us, these are running under the same category: too expensive and no one to take care of them. But when we do get a beautiful puppy or a furry little baby, he will be amazing. I know it.
4. He spoils me a bit. Danno still plans surprise dates, buys flowers, or gets me a cute outfit (He just got me one for my interviews!) even when we are busy and married.
3. He is cute. Well, he is.
2. He is an amazing example for me, our families, and friends.
1. He loves me.

We Fondue! Do you?

2009-03-05T21:06:00.000-08:00

Random preface: Styrofoam, although a terrible foe to the environment, can entertain for up to 5 minutes. Here are the rules: 1. you can only use your fingernail or keys 2. You must make a picture from a random shape or line that your partner draws for you. 3. Enjoy.

Last Monday the stars aligned and Danno and I were able to do family night with the Champions! We went to the lovely Draper Temple and then to Zuppas for din-din. After a delish dinner, Daddy Warbucks [Randizzle] bought us a tantalizing little treat.

YOU GUESSED IT!!!We got some fab fondue!

Along with fudge yumminess, we got cosmic brownie bites, marshmallows, bananas, and strawberries.

It was Ryan's first fondue experience and he was pretty hesitant. However, the allure of the dessert coaxed him in and he ended up with a chocolaty mouth--just how we like him.My sweet sister Amy eats seven things. 1. bread 2. chicken 3. milk (kinda) 4. dessert 5. coconut shrimp (wait! only a little bit) 6. A1 sauce and ranch and the new one [drumroll....] 7. SPOONS dipped in chocolate.

We do fondue. We invite you to fondue with us. Do it, fondue it.

In the words of Whitney Houstin, "I believe the children are our future."

2009-03-03T18:52:00.000-08:00

Nearly every day I arrive at la escuela I find sticky treats ripped from pockets, pennies and dimes, and love notes. Many of them look somewhat like the above picture. As I sit down and get ready for the day, I read them and think how cute they are, how precious these little munchkins are, and how teaching is grrrrrrrrrreat. Imagine my surprise when I found this one from an anonymous little kiddy.

I laughed so loud when I found this one. I quickly stuffed it in my teacher bag to avoid questions from my nosy little boys. Later that day, the littlest girl in the class, came up to me with her toothless grin and asked if I got her note. I told her I wasn't sure and she said enthusiastically, "It was the one in the big, black marker!" She had found a valentine that said, "stuck on you." Personally, it was funnier to me how she wrote it. This is why people have kids.

Mi Casa Es Su Casa!

2009-02-10T19:19:00.001-08:00

Here is our little window which divides the kitchen from the living room. These are some wine bottles that Danno brought back from Ruby Tuesday. We have gotten some accusing and concerned looks from the visiting teachers and church members. But in the words of Bill Clinton, "We didn't inhale!"

I can't figure out how to make this look neater, but to the left is the dining/living/kitchen/spa/indoor basketball court.
To the bottom right is our cute little bedroom.

We have a new baby!

2009-02-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and family! Well it has been a while since we, or I suppose I have posted anything. Danno is going to school and working at Red Lobster where he is making what he made in a week at Ruby Tuesday in a few days. We are loving our new apartment and pictures will follow! Now for the new family member.

This is 32LG10 Champion. He came into this apartment at 9:06 p.m.

He weighed 45 lbs and 4 oz.

He is 32 inches and his father couldn't be happier.

Danno has never been more proud of his shiny black son.

Our first family photo.

After months of pinching pennies, Danno got his baby. He expects a baby shower where speakers, Blue Ray business, and electronic cleaner is presented to him :)

I loves you Dove!

2009-01-05T22:02:00.000-08:00

Picture this: It's a cold December day and your first birthday with your husband, as husband and wife. Perhaps you have images of hot cocoa, fluffy pillows, frosty windows, and breakfast in bed. Well, picture this: It's 7:30, the windows are frosted and you have to brave the winter weather as you head to school until 6 p.m. This was my birthday. I was a little bummed that most of this day that my husband took work off for, would be spent in a stuffy classroom. However, he drove me to school, promised much fun and fine dining later, and kissed me goodbye. When I got home, he let me get ready then swept me off for sushi. We ate lots of yummy food and then Danno gave me my present! He gave me a cute hat, scarf, and BODY WORLD tickets! I was so stoked, even though some people I'm a creep for being so excited. We went and it was amazing. We were in awe of how intricate the body is and how unreal the displays were. We highly encourage you to go. It's worth it. We talked his parents into going and are anxious to see their reaction. It was such a fun birthday!

Tis the Season!

2008-12-27T21:42:00.000-08:00

I was trying to hold off on a Christmas post until I had pictures of my house, my husband, my babies (nieces and nephews that is...), and family in general. However, it is time to be realistic with myself. I don't take pictures and it will take me months until I actually go and get them from Da Champs (my in-laws) or my own mom and pops. Thus this is my post Christmas post!
Danno and I have been so blessed this year.

While working at Old Navy in Sandy I was a little grumpy to be working a long shift in the crazy holiday madness. I just kept thinking how messy the store was, how demanding people could be, with an overall bitter taste toward the holiday lolipalooza. I had been called in early to help out and as I went to the back counter, there were clothes strewn everywhere. I asked what I should do with all of them in a bit of an exasperated mood when my manager told me that a woman had come in and bought all of our coats, warm pants, blankets, hoodies, and hats/gloves/etc. for charity and needed help loading them into her caravan of cars. I was so touched by this act of good will. The spirit of Christmas is always one of my favorite things to enjoy this season.

Danno and I have settled into our new apartment well, thanks to our selfless and wonderful parents. It finally looks like a home and we are so glad to be closer to our parents and family. We had Danno's parents, brother, and sister over to decorate Christmas cookies at our new place and had a blast! We also made gingerbread houses with the Domm's and had fun listening to Cam's songs. We were able to celebrate Christmas eve with my family at my aunt's house. It was a little different this year as we discovered my Aunt Darla went into a coma and her chance of survival wasn't hopeful. As heartbreaking as it is, it was a blessing that this happened Christmas eve when our family was together, and we were able to reflect of the birth and life of our Savior. We were then privileged to spend our Christmas morning with Da Champs and had a smashing time! I now see why my husband is so amazing, he comes from a wonderful family who exudes the Christmas spirit in every way possible.

We hope this holiday season finds you well and we love you all!
Love,
The Champs ( I love saying that!)
Danno and Nellie

A Few Quotes

2008-12-19T23:08:00.000-08:00

"I could be Survivor Man. I have a really strong stomach, like seriously strong. I can eat anything, except for salads. I'm not a big veggie man." --17 year old kid at Old Navy

"Have you ever tried chestnuts? Well you should, they will change your life." --My 3 year old nephew Cameron while sitting on the potty. He does much thinking there.

"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is exclusively my own." --Johanne Wolfgang Von Goethe

The last one was a change of pace from the others, but was still quotable I say.

We Are Not Homeless, Homeless...

2008-12-02T17:54:00.000-08:00

We have wonderful news! Sure, it probably isn't as exciting as my cute sister-in-law who is having a baby (I'm a little excited!), but its news to us and we are so relieved. We got a call today that we have an apartment! Its in Murray in a complex called Lost Creek. We went apartment hunting during Thanksgiving break and saw some real creep holes, so the fact that there wasn't garbage and minimal vandalism was a real treat! One apartment we looked at had a Jesus plaque mounted to the table, but I guess if anything is going to be a permanent fixture in a creepy apartment, that is the one I would choose. Thus, Lost Creek has been a breath of fresh air.

I think I should recap on our Thanksgiving. We had so much fun seeing our wonderful families! We had so much fun just hanging out with the fam. Evonne and Wally flew in from Texas and it was a wonderful little treat! We spent Thanksgiving dinner with my side of the family and pie time with Danno's family at his cabin. We played Groups and Runs (or Poops and Runs as his family affectionately deems it) with Dee Dee and Grum (Danno's grandparents), his mom, and his little sister Lou Lou or Amy I suppose... It is holidays like this that make a person so grateful for family. We have been so blessed with good friends and family. We love you. Peace out yo.

Woooooo Hoooooo!

2008-11-26T23:50:00.000-08:00

It is official! Danno and I are celebrating our first major holiday as husband and wiff. We kicked off our holiday by splitting up and spending a little time with members of the same gender. I went to Twilight with my cute sisters where I nearly suffocated from the sighing fan club of Edward Cullen. I admit, I read the first book, I liked it. But I must say, I felt sicked out, not swoony, over the infamous stone cold chest of the much fantasied Edward. Danno went with my padre and brothers in law to eat meat and see the new James Bond. We both had so much fun!

It is the time of thanks this month and I have so many things to be thankful for! I have a wonderful husband who couldn't make me laugh harder or treat me better, a wonderful family, some of the cutest nieces and nephews, shiny hair, and one surviving bamboo plant. A girl couldn't be luckier or ask for more than that! I also get to leave Logan and join civilization again (including a Target!). So Woooooooooo Hoooooooooooo everybody, its the holidays!

Top Ten

2008-11-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

Danno and I have been bored in Logan. Its rainy, but too cold to just walk around in it. And its not snowy so we can't play in it--a double edged sword if you ask me. We have a very small mall with a (drum roll) AMERICAN EAGLE! Its basically like we live in the fashion capital of the world. Only we don't. So here we are, in plea, with some of our blessed talents to entice you to A. hang out with us or B. give us something to do.

Top Ten Reasons we are the Big Cheese:
1. I was a mathlete.
2. Danno won a regional competition in bagging for the great Albertsons family grocery. He even got to go with the number one checker from the store.
3. Danno beat me in a 5k. Although when he was "training" (meaning he ran once) he threw up on the side of a road in front of an old woman.
4. Children grab my stomach and ask where the baby is.
5. We watch Paris Hilton's New BFF religiously.
6. We both have SBO sweaters...not SOB sweaters as was the joke.
7. We successfully held feet, with interlocking toes. It hurt, but it was worth it.
8. We spend a lot of time sitting at a bar where we never drink. He makes the drinks while I study.
9. I can't catch anything thrown towards me.
10. We are the Champions my friend.

Where is Koala?

2008-11-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and family! Look closely at this picture. Please take note of a few details.
1. The bowl is empty.
2. The bamboo is gone.
3. Koala is gone.
4. There are fish sticks beside the bowl.
No, we did not eat Koala. But there is a tragic story. However, first I would like to remind you of the conditions in owning my sweet little beta fishy. Danno said that we can have a baby if I could 1. keep the plants alive, and 2. keep the fish alive. Now for the tale of that dark, dark day.

I awoke one chilly October day and my nose was a little runny, and the tip of it was cold. I stepped onto our creaky floor and thought, "My tropical little beta fish must be freezing if me, a mammal underneath mountains of blankets is cold!" Due to my maternal nature, I wanted to warm up my little creature. So I did what any loving mother would do, I turned on the heater. After an hour, our glorified space heater was doing nothing but warming a corner of the house and my Koala was probably STILL cold. Then I thought, "Well I'll just put him by the heater of course!" I went about my business and then went to retrieve my fish. When I bent over, my fingertips were shocked with a foreign sensation! It is called "warmth."
The bowl was warm.
The water was too warm.
The fish was dead...and little cooked I assume.
I tried to cool him off with tepid water. I tried a little first aid by pushing on his little tummy to start his heart. Even my sad and sorry tears didn't bring back Koala.

The moral of this story is: sorry if you wanted a niece or nephew, grandson or grandaughter, playmate for your children, or cute baby eye candy. Its not gonna happen :)

2008-10-28T17:08:00.000-07:00

October has been a time when Danno and I can actually spend some time with each other in the daylight! Fall has gotten us excited to spend holiday quality time together so we embarked on some fall fun. We hiked to the Wind Caves in Logan Canyon.

He did it!!!

2008-10-05T17:30:00.000-07:00

Well after weeks of monotony, I finally have something to report! Danno got his acceptance letter to the University of Utah. We are so excited! Well, I'm getting a little bit worried about leaving Logan. I'm so happy to be moving closer to family but my life has been in Logan for 3.5 years now, PLUS I really like our apartment. Hopefully our new one isn't completely made of cinderblocks...
I would also like to report that Danno and I are loving being married and still haven't fought yet! I know we are still in the newly wed stage when I asked Danno to do some chores while I was at work and he only did the ones he wanted. Somehow, when I got home and had to finish the chores, I thought it was cute. I told him this phase where I always think he is cute would pass, and one day he would have to clean the fish bowl. But for the meantime, I still think he is cute.

Miracle or Guilty Conscience?

2008-09-11T12:48:00.001-07:00

Danno came home from pumping iron a few days ago and found what I believe to be a tender mercy of the Lord! There, against the wall where we had left them about 1 1/2 months ago were our stolen gift cards! I know they weren't there before because not only had Danno and I torn up our apartment but my sweet friend Nadia had come and help me look for an hour too! I have no idea how they came back but we are so grateful for this HUGE blessing. We celebrated by getting the internet and Cafe Rio...yum.

We Are Still Alive!

2008-09-07T14:40:00.000-07:00

Blogging has been a difficult task for us since Phillip left. Perhaps you are thinking, "who is Phillip? Is it their best friend? The mail man? The crazy neighbor who hammers at 3:14 am?" Nay, he is none of those. He happens to be the small strain of wireless internet that we managed to grab as we await our own hookup to begin. Danno and I have been very busy! School has begun yet again, and the nights of waking up in a puddle of your own slobber in a $200 text book about educating the youth of zion has begun. We have had a crazy first 6 weeks of our marriage! Our gift cards from our wedding were stolen out of our cute little apartment. Luckily, nothing else was taken! The intruder also walked into our home a few days later when I was home by myself, but left when he realized I was home. We have been very blessed and were even lucky enough to find some checks and a few gift cards that made our intrusion a little less sad. I was also blessed this week. Danno was working one of his 12 hour shifts and I was getting restless so I started trimming my split ends. Something went terribly awry and I ended up cutting my own hair including my bangs. Thankfully I'm better at hair cutting than I thought. We are well and we lock our doors religiously now and Danno doesn't leave me alone with scissors.

2008-08-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

Hello Fam and Friends!

2008-08-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

Well we have finally fallen into the blogging world. Danno and I want to keep in touch with all you web based folk! I don't really know what I'm doing but we will give it a go!