Monday, September 13, 2010

An Update a Day, is obviously not Savanna's Way :)

It's funny how you want what you can't have.

Until recently, I've been OK with pushing this blog to the back burner (or, to the burner that resides in the black hole well beyond our galaxy).  BUT, a few days ago I tried to log in and found that Daven had changed his email password.  Never have I been more motivated to update my blog--when I can't update it :).  I guess I need to add myself as one of the blog owners...that would be ideal.

As you may have guessed, a lot has happened between now and *ahem* what was it?  April 22? 

1.  Daven no longer works for Key Equipment Finance.  He works for State Farm Insurance.  He started in May and is licensed and has passed all of his Insurance exams.  You Nebraskans (especially the 4th warders/Holmes Lakers) will like this:  Daven works for his old Young Men's Advisor: Vance Yoshikawa!  Isn't that crazy?  Vance happened to come along right as Daven was ready for a change...perfect timing.

Daven will work under Vance for a few years then open his own Insurance office.  After three or four years of owning his own office Daven will then have the opportunity to work for Corporate State Farm.  This job is perfect for Daven!  He's one of those guys that is good at everything (which is sometimes annoying when you want to teach him how to snowboard, and it turns out he can snowboard better that you--but that's a mix of me being an extremely  s  l  o  w  learner when it comes to coordination-required skills and him being a natural).  The simple fact is he's good at what he does because he demands perfection out of himself.  I think anyone who really knows Daven would see that pattern in everything he does.  The job is not finished until it's perfect.

2.  I know I never talk about my job on my blog, but my job is going well, too.  I moved into a bigger office the end of October and it is suh--wEEeeet!  (When I make comments like that, it makes me feel like I really don't belong in corporate America, but maybe a high school classroom instead).  I work for Encana, an oil and gas company.  I've been there for two years.  Love the people, love the work environment, but I've gotta say it ( and by "it," I mean working 50+hrs/week at an office and no mini-Davens or Savannas running around) is not exactly what I envisioned myself doing after almost 5 years of marriage.  But, for update's sake...yes, my job is nice.  I mean, it's an oil & gas company that's NOT BP, so it's not exactly hurtin' right now.

3.  Bob and Teresa visited in July--again, always productive when they're in town.

4.  Ohhhh...my parents came to visit at the beginning of July and we went white water rafting.  Although my dad is a Navy boy, I've never actually seen him on a raft, or even a boat.  Needless to say it was an exciting adventure!  We also attended the July 3rd fireworks show at the Rockies Stadium.  It was spectacular!!

5.  Rex Round Up was Ridiculously Rowdy and "Re"mem"ber"able ;).  My Uncle Curtis oversaw the raising of the four walls to our Rex pavilion/lodge.  He and some of my cousins that live close to Randolph, UT put up the roof over Labor Day weekend!  Thanks so much to all of you that helped!  Wish we could have participated, but I'm excited to see it and help out next year!!

We also ran/walked the 3K I mentioned in my April post, but it turned out to be more like a 6K...mom and I clocked it wrong...ooooops :) !  It was a blessing in disguise.  I walked with my cousin, Dalene.  You have to understand our family is HUGE.  I'm the youngest of 52 grandchildren and my cousin is in the generation older than me, so we didn't exactly grow up together.  Walking with her was one of my favorite memories of the reunion--thanks, Dalene!  To top it off, we were in the mountains, on my Grandpa's ranch with a bright blue sky!

7.  August was the Kearl Reunion in Orange Beach, AL.  BEST. EVER.  Our HUGE condo was smack-dab on the beach.  The sand was so fine and soft.  The water was warm and we swam with a SHARK!!  Seriously!  Daven and I were boogie boarding and a shark was skimming the same wave as us.  It was literally right next to us.  Of course, me being an eternal optimist, I thought it was a dolphin because of its color, but...no...it wasn't...  However, we did see plenty of dolphins, and we found quite the colony of colossal crabs, too.

By the way, I have the cutest nieces and nephews.  Olivia and Price (Cheyenne's), Elsie (Desiree's).  Keegan and Triston (Ian's) weren't able to make it!  We missed them!

8.  In May we bought an SUV.  It's a 200? Toyota Sequoia.  We paid in cash and I was soooooooo sad to see my bank account deplete.  Next to our house, that was the largest purchase we've ever made!  Boo, for growing up.  BUT, we love it and after we said a sad goodbye to the 30-year-old 'burb, we kind of needed it.  I think.  We do look silly driving it when it's just the two of us.  This was a recent conversation I had with Daven:
S:  Remind me again why we bought this?
D:  For the towing power, of course!
S:  We don't have anything to tow.
D:  It's not what we don't have, it's what we will have.
S:  You mean, a boat?
D:  Yes, --Daven continues to describe the exact type, make, dimension and style of our non-existent boat--a description that I never remember hence this very descriptive sentence.

Luckily I have the Young Women to fill it up at least once a week :).  Also, Daven says we are "taking it back" if we are not in the market for car seats within the next three months (no, this is not an announcement).

9.  Our next big event is Christmas in Boise!  We will miss the sub-zero temperatures, 50 MPH winds, ice storms and all-day power outages that usually greet us in Nebraska, but it will be fun in Boise nonetheless.

I have pictures of some of the above events, but I'm having issues with blogger and my slow computer.  Or, rather blogger and my slow computer have issues and they're just taking it out on me.  I guess pictures will be in a separate post.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Here's a little bit...

[Insert my usual acknowledgement and apology that I haven't blogged in a while here]

Continuing on. The Lake household has been pretty busy lately...

1. We just got back from a one-of-a-kind Jeeping trip in Moab. The last day had a few scares in it, but all are home, safe and sound (at least the people are, not sure I could say the same about a couple of the Jeeps :) ) I think Moab is one of the most beautiful places. I love the red rocks and the exquisite craftmanship of the mountains! While you're standing in an almost desert climate, staring at the dry, sun-burned rocks, you can look in the background and see the blue, snow-capped La Sal mountains!

2. Daven is no longer with Key Equipment Finance. He put in his two-weeks notice a few weeks ago, and last week he started his new job as a State Farm Insurance agent. Well, he's not an agent yet, but he is taking his classes and will be practicing by June! The new job is really a blessing and everything seemed to align perfectly for it! I know he will be a success!

3. Bob and Teresa came to visit this last weekend. Teresa and I were very productive (as usual) and re-decorated my sewing room/guest bedroom! We made new curtains, pillows, etc. I also finished Aubrey, my brother-in-law's, blanket which I've been working on for 6+ years! Daven and Bob went truck shopping, but unfortunately we have yet to see the fruit of that labor--definitely not as productive as the girls (as usual :)).

4. Daven and I are going to ALABAMA for a Kerry Kearl reunion! We will be gone the 3rd week in August. I just love going to Alabama. I always feel like I'm living out Gone With the Wind or some deep-south novel. Daven has never made the trek southward, so he finally gets to see how entrancing it is! Plus, we will get to see our Virginian nephews! It's been a few years since we've spent time with them.

5. Speaking of reunions, it is our family's turn to host the REX ROUND UP! Remember how I said I was going to run a 3 and/or 5K with my mom? If you don't, well, you should, 'cause pretty sure it was only two posts ago (granted, that post was about 5 months back)! We haven't registered for one yet, so I'm trying to convince my mom that we should start an annual REX RUN! I know Alan and Grace would be game! So all you Rexes, try to promote it to mi madre! I think she's on board, but hearing your excitement would just be more motivation! I got the idea from my cousin, Heather. I saw on her blog that her in-laws, or maybe her dad's family, had an annual run/walk at their reunion. Plus it's up on the ranch so, talk about a scenic (and thin-ish air) run!

6. We remodeled our kitchen! Did I tell you that? Yeah, Daven did it all himself! Oh, I know I have before and after pictures somewhere. I'll think really hard about putting them up...I don't want to commit to anything; we all know my track record. This means our house is pretty much completely remodeled...we are just tweaking the shower/bathroom in our basement.

7. I learned how to snow ski! Sometimes I like it better than snowboarding...but then sometimes I don't. Daven and I went up to Boise, Idaho (where else would you find a Boise) and skied at Bogus Basin. I learned before that, at Copper Mountain in Colorado. Daven took me up the highest lift and just sent me down, by the end I looked like Lindsey Vonn. No, not really, I mean, I don't have blonde hair, so maybe more like Julia Mancuso ;)

8. Speaking of Boise, Daven's family moved there last summer! Sad that they're not in Lincoln, but all of the other great Lakes live in Idaho so, it's nice they are close to them.

9. My friend, Tam, from Nebraska is getting married. As I am one of the bridesmaids, I get to go back to NE from May 20 - 23! I'm excited for the wedding, but I'm also pumped to see Nebraska in all its glory--in the springtime, just at the beginning of tornado season! We only go back for Christmas, so it's been awhile since I've seen the green that is Nebraska.

10. Colorado weather is weird. Today it rained in downtown Denver (where I work), but just a few miles south they were closing schools because of all the SNOW! Whaaat? Who does that?

That's about it. Work and church are keeping us pretty busy throughout the week which is a good thing, but I just don't make enough time to blog...or facebook, for that matter.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Look what just washed up on the Lake[shore]

I just added new, but old, music. I feel like these songs are almost oldies! Oh, but they're goodies!

Enjoy!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Where has the time gone?

OK...so, it's been so long that I've even accessed our blog that our Internet address bar doesn't automatically fill in our blog address when I start typing...

But, seriously!! I remember counting down the Bronco games until I got to go to Alabama and now it's the third week in January?! What the heck?

So...here is the run down...

1. I'm experimenting with our blog title. It was "There Ya Have It..." now it is "The Lake[shore] Account..."

2. Daven and I are remodeling the kitchen

3. I am completely and totally serious about running a 5k; I'm even going to do it with my mom!

4. Snowed in for Christmas and few days after that while we were in NE. For real...there was no power for six hours, we opened presents by candle light and got our water from melting buckets of snow on the gas-burning stove. It was AWESOME.

5. I owe you guys Lake Powell pictures

6. I made my nephew, Price, a quilt and I made Benson a little jacket.

7. Our jobs are going well...

8. Ummm, now do you see why I never post? Our lives aren't the most blog-worthy at the moment. :)

9. I hope the Vikings make it to the super bowl and win. I say this because, if I know my Hollywood (which I think I do) then they will undoubtedly make a movie out of Brett Favre's life and I hate it when the based-on-a-true-story sports movies build up to the final game and the player/team loses...and then it goes straight into the on-screen text like: "Although Coach So-and-So lost his first championship game, he and his team went on to win 5 straight championships..." (Yeah, you know what I'm talking about...)

10. Winter Olympics!!

11. It's 11:00 PM, so I'm thinking I should end this post. I'll try to come up with something better for next time.