Fun times

Just some fun pics of us this spring! One is of Brady and I at the temple, and another one of us coloring Easter eggs with our friends Kortney Klein and Jonas Lanchbury

The last month has been fun for Brady and I. Lots of growing moments and struggles but nothing we can't handle and also a lot of fun and memorable times. FHE is still going strong for us and we have lots new couples who are asking to joing our group. We love having a chance to spend time with friends as well as our spouses! Brady and I also had date night this week with a couple of his friends, Landon and Holli Luttmer and their son Grason. I had met Landon earlier, but it was my first time meeting Holli and she made us a wonderful dinner and we watched the movie Taken. I had to add that detail because that may be mine and Brady's new favorite movie. It was fun to meet someone new and do something different.

Softball ended this last weekend on a good note for me. I played the last game and the weather was nice; that's all it takes for me to feel successful in softball! The last couple weeks the weather hasn't been great and I haven't played much. We did win another game on our sophomore night, making two wins for the season. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and am glad I took that opportunity.

The picture at the top of Brady and I at the temple was a good day. It's started really early for Brady and I when we woke up at 6 AM to drive 45 min. to Ritzville and meet Robyn and Chris Shelton (my cousins) for breakfast at Perkins. They were up from Utah visiting Chris's mission so we met them halfway and really enjoyed visiting with them. We made it back to Moses Lake by 10 AM so Brady's family could pick us up to drive to Tri-cities. It was Ryan's first time going to the temple so everyone took the day off and we enjoyed a day together. This was the first time Brady and I had been in this temple together and that made it very special for us. After the temple we went to Olive Garden to eat with our family and some family friends who came to the temple for Ryan. We built a fire in the backyard that night and finished our night talking and laughing by the fire.

Brady ended up losing his elections by one vote (and afterward found out over 10 of his close friends didn't even vote). It was hard for his self esteem but we are taking it as a sign that we need to transfer to Eastern Washington University next fall. It will be good for both of us to be able to continue our education; Brady is also going to try to get into the music program that would be so good for him to do something his actually enjoys doing.

We are both ready to be done with school for another year but doing well in our classes. We have fun golfing with Brady's dad when we can and now that I'm done with softball my swing should get better again. Brady enjoys spending time with the missionaries, we are helping the teach a little and feeding them etc... and I feel good that we trying to do some missionary work.

The weather is starting to get nice again and so many activities will be starting soon; but busy is good for me. I just hope I remember to take lots of pictures and enjoy every minute.

Brady and I are very blessed and I am so grateful for what a wonderful husband he is. We accomplish so much together and still spend every moment we can together!

Life Only Gets Busier

Well, life is only getting busier for Brady and I. Last week I got a job at a little Chinese restaurant called Lin's and joined the Big Bend softball team for the last 7 games of the season. Work is different as I am used to a fast paced, mass production type enviroment and this is just a little family business. But I think I will learn to enjoy it.
So I went to softball practice all week and we had a tournament in Selah, near Yakima, on Saturday and Sunday. I played a couple innings at first base in both our Saturday games and did great; only one strike out (on the easiest pitcher I might add) and only had to pull my foot once to miss an out at first. Although I didn't play in either game on Sunday, I helped cheer the team on to their first win of the season against Skagit Valley, which was a good team. It was a lot of fun and we got a lot of sun as the temperature was perfect all weekend.
Brady is working hard to get ready for elections next week as he is running for ASB Public Relations. Between hanging up fliers, talking to as many people as possible, and working in the math lab to finish his homework he stays busy. In his spare time he golfs and is becoming a professional movie watcher again. He's also a great help to me and still works a lot a hours at Domino's on the weekends.
The highlight of my week has become our FHE group nights. We have a group of about 6 couples now and we just have a blast when we get together. I'm so grateful for our friendships and the Gospel that provides a FHE night for us to spend together.

Spring Break Fun!

We drove 12 hrs. to see this much snow!















March 21, 2009: Me, Taisha, and Brandi at Taisha's Wedding in Tri-Cities. It was so neat, wished Brady could have been there, and we are so happy for Taisha and Tanner!!!









We enjoyed Temple Square and doing a session in the Salt Lake temple.

On our drive from Smithfield to Idaho Falls Brady had to stop at Preston High School for classic Napoleon Dynamite pictures!

Brady and I survived finals week and with a lot of time in the math lab Brady passed all his classes. I have yet again an easy quarter including an easy and my personal favorite American Literature class. Brady will have one of his hardest quarters yet with 2 math classes and a chemistry class (all in the same building). He plans to spend a lot of time studying in the lab which leaves me no excuse not to get a job in the afternoons which I am still working on (waiting to hear back from people).

My spring break started with a very entertaining day. I got up at 5 AM to take my best friend Kaitie to the airport in Spokane and was to drop her off and drive her car home. She was so sweet and even packed me snacks and a lunch for the drive... but... she forgot to fill her car with gas. Of course I'm not the smart kind of person to check those things and the car turned off on the side of the freeway as it was dead out of gas. I was 10 miles past the nearest town and 30 miles from home. Everyone I knew was at work or in finals so I waited about 10 minutes for a State Patrol to pass me and go turn around to come help. I had the embarrassing opportunity to get patted down before I could get seatbelted into the back of the patrol car as he gave me a ride back to Ritzville to buy 2 gallons of gas. I had called Brady both my fathers and scared them both when the patrol put my purse with my phone in it in the front seat and couldn't let anyone know what my status was and if I was dead or not for about 20 minutes. The patrol was very nice and helpful and when the gas was in and I went to leave and found the car battery dead as well. We had to wait another app. 40 minutes for another State patrol to come jump my car.

It was a long morning and only set me back about and hour and a half but I had nothing to hurry home too as all my finals were done. It makes for a great story and I just wish I had pictures.

That night, the weather was great so Brady and I went to a driving range with Ryan and I got to "golf" for the first time. I guess I was a typical first time golfer with a lot of whiffs and frustrated, inconstistent and unfundamental swings. Brady set up another perfect opportunity for me to embarrass myself when he told me to grip the club looser. I found this was a bad thing to focus on while swinging; I not only whiffed the ball but sent my club flying in the air higher and farther than almost every ball I had hit. After a day like this Brady had a hard time believing he had married such a "dumb blonde." I hope to get better at golfing and can't wait to go again!

Monday morning we drove down to Sandy, UT and stayed two nights at Brady's Aunt Sherri's house. We couldn't believe how much snow there was and wondered if we should have stayed in Boise where the weather was beautiful! Monday night we went to dinner to Citris Grill with one of Brady's friends from the mission, Mike, and his wife Abby. Brady and I spent Tuesday going to a session in the Salt Lake temple and really enjoyed the live session experience. As you can see we had fun taking some pictures of temple square afterwards. Aunt Sherri was so good to us and we really enjoyed her getting her whole family together Tuesday night for dinner so I could meet and visit with them all. After dinner we drove to Orem to visit with Kristi, Robyn and Chris, Erica, and Megan. It was great to see them and we're so glad they were able to make time in their busy schedules to visit! It was the first time Brady and I had met Chris and that any of them had met Brady. It was also the first and last time in a long time that I would see Erica and she's leaving for her mission very soon.
Wednesday morning Brady and I drove up to Logan and got to visit with Aunt Teresa for a bit afterwhich we met Grandma Lindley at the Logan temple where she was working in our session. Brady and I got to be the witness couple and really enjoyed it (it kept us awake more than anything!). That night we had an amazing dinner with Grandpa and Grandma at Hamilton's and really loved getting to spend time visiting! The next day, after our "farm breakfast," we visited Aunt Deanna while she was tending 4 kids during lunch hour (talk about a hectic that Brady and I are not used to!).
We spent the next couple of days in Idaho Falls; me playing in a basketball game with Susan and with my mom coaching, swimming in LoAnn and Evan Belnap's indoor pool, and walking Kia. We left Saturday morning and stopped in New Port to visit Grandma and Grandpa Coulston where Brady's family met us and we had dinner and enjoyed our last evening on vacation visiting.
It was a great, smooth trip and we really appreciate everyone's hospitality towards Brady and I. We were anxious and glad to get back home but not excited for school to start Monday. Brady spent Sunday being sick and I got to teach sharing time in primary.

We survived our first week of school and spent our day off today golfing. I golfed my very first round of 9 holes and did great for my first time. Although, I can't believe how tired my arms are! Brady and Ryan just think I'm a baby (which may be true) but either way, I won't be golfing with them tomorrow cuz I won't be able to move my arms.

A New Week

Every day is still a new adventure for Brady and I and every week is exciting! Ryan (Brady's little brother) just opened his mission call today and he is going to the Utah, Salt Lake Mission Spanish speaking. He leaves on May 27 and he seems pretty excited!
This week I also had fun helping Wayne's Electric wire a house that is being remodeled. Technically, I only did the sweeping to help with clean up but I'm basically a professional sweeper now and think I could go into the business with my new father-in-law. lol I guess I was a pretty good help but I went more for the fun to see this big project they've been working on for so long and Brady was there working so it gave me an excuse to be somewhat close to him on a Saturday night.
I spent a lot of time this week printing pictures and finished scrapbooking all my wedding pics. I think it's a good project to have done and I'm glad I can at least cross it off my list of things to do.
Brady and I made our first big purchase by finally investing in a 32' flat screen TV. We are so glad to have something bigger than the tiny thing we started with and our first movie on the big screen was The Hunchback of Notre Dame...well, lame or not we enjoyed it lol. I also got my first set of golf clubs this week (Brady is hoping to teach me this summer as I have never officially been golfing in my life). We had a random hook-up with someone giving away a Frankenstein set with different brands that make up a complete set (the woods are made of real wood). I guess now I have no excuse to not join Brady on the golf course this summer.
I had my fun first experience of being a nursery teacher today! They asked me help with the only kid in our nursery who rarely comes. His mom wouldn't leave as she was looking for an excuse to miss sunday school but the second hour after she left we were doing great fighting dinosaurs and playing with cereal until we passed her in the hallway on our way to get a drink. I don't know what she was doing out of class but after Kai saw her I lost all control and she had to stay with him for the last 20 minutes. So to sum it up, I'm not the best nursery teacher which hopefully means they won't ask me to do it again.
Finals week is here which means Brady and I need to hit the books that we have been neglecting all quarter. We are excited for classes to be over and for another break! We would enjoy hearing from any of you if you have any time!

March 7, 2009

Here are some pics that go along with what we have been up to!!!

Brady and I love our little one bedroom apartment. It's cozy and fun for the two of us. We have learned and grown so much these last two months. It's amazing how much you can learn about another person. I've really learned how happy I can be when I put someone else completely above myself and how much we can accomplish when we do it together. We are so blessed to have great families and Brady and I are grateful for all the help they have been as we've gotten started. Brady's family has been a ton of help with setting things up and getting started. They offer us anything they can and are always being helpful. One of our latest adventures was when I got to help the Coulston's butcher a beef. Yes they killed it, cut it, ground it, and packaged it. It was gross but also a good experience and it is nice to know we can be self relient. Along with being self reliant I have gone on a "kick" and have been working hard on starting a food storage and emergency kits for Brady and I. I know it's a big project to start but I feel strongly we need to be ready so I'm just doing what we can. Brady and I are about to start our Spring quarter, and my final quarter at Big Bend Community College. I am grateful to have basketball over with and move on with my life. I received an NWAACC All-Team Academic Award and got to start my only game this year on my Sophomore night. It was a frustrating year but I loved playing with the girls and they're great teammates. So I am looking for jobs right now, either waitressing or in an office as an accountant/customer service/secretary. We'll see what I can find! Two weeks ago in church I had a full schedule. I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting, taught 5-years old in Primary, and played the piano in Singing Time. I enjoy being back in a family ward and we feel so welcome there.

About a month ago we also had an unfortunate thing happen. Brady's '05 car got a window broken into and his camera stollen out of it. The camera was not a huge loss but we thought we had lost all our pictures from our Open House in Moses Lake. Just today I was surprised to find them on Elouise's computer! So not all is lost! Brady's window was kind of expensive for a newly wed couple but not outrageous so we survived that incident.

Here is our first blog! Brady and I (Natalie) have been married 2 months as of today! We are happily married and living in Moses Lake, WA where we both attend Big Bend Community College. I will graduate in June and Brady has another year until he will graduate and hopfully go to vet school.