"Good Memories"

Today Dane and I received $50 from my GRANDma Sucher. On the card was a little note about "having fun" and "making good memories for the future." I certainly don't believe that you have to have money to have fun, but I am really excited to use that money for some unique, fun, memorable experience! I can't wait!

On another note, Dane and I have been having a lot of fun lately. However, my poor laptop has died (and I am hoping that it will come back to life again soon). My office computer and work laptop have no way of getting pictures from my camera, which I think is very strange. So, I haven't posted any pictures to this little blog (and I think pictures make blogs fun). Anyway, here are some fun happenings from our last month or so:

1. We watched Hillcrest win their first state championship in football. It was amazing to see a team that was 0-23 take the state championship. Dane was quite the football player in high school, and during the game he educated me all about Hillcrest's Double-Wing Offense. I am becoming quite the football guru! Thank you, Dane!

2. Dane saved up quite a while for our crazy huge flat screen tv. I didn't truly appreciate Dane's purchase until college football Saturdays occured at the house. We have loved having friends over to watch the games. We watch a lot of sports at our home!

3. We cooked our first turkey dinner. Dane and I had ham on Thanksgiving, which was yummy but left me a bit unsatisfied. For managing, we received a turkey from the apartment owners. So, Dane and I had Kade and Brei over for our Sunday Turkey Day Feast. Dane and I made the turkey and dressing, while Brei prepared the mashed potatoes and gravy. We had peach pie for dessert. It was fun for all of us...our first time preparing our own dinner!

4. As silly as this was, Dane and I loved Christmas shopping this year. We really think that we got the most perfect gifts for our family members. It has been fun to read Christmas stories together, decorate our home together, and go Christmas shopping together. We are so ready for the holidays!

We hope everyone else is having a great time, making great memories. I even think that we can make great memories every day. I stayed a little late and work today and had a blast just talking to two of my co-workers. They are fabulous people. I really want to be sure I take advantage of those memory-making opportunities, as small as they may be!

Happy holidays! Have a beautiful Christmas season!

The Thanksgiving Challenge

I have to write a quick post about the "Thanksgiving Challenge" because I think it is such a great idea! It is pretty simple--write a list of 1,000 things you are grateful for (400 people and 600 things). Our cousin Mykel told me about the idea, and I agreed because it sounded so simple. I will admit that it was simple, but it takes a lot of time to think of 1,000 things. Needless to say, I am so grateful for the time spent completing the challenge. I think I will do this every year from now on. It helped me get into the "spirit of gratitude" that should accompany Thanksgiving! I challenge everyone to do this for next year's Thanksgiving or even before, if you want something to think about in the next few weeks.

Thanks for the fabulous idea, Beorchia fam!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLYP_M_EuSM

So, yesterday I discovered a tv channel called Palladia, and I LOVE IT! I caught a bit of the O.A.R. concert from Madison Square Garden and found a new song that I love. I decided to post it for others to see. The song is called Untitled. I had to record the song on the tv, so now I play it a lot. I hope I don't play it too often, to the point where I get really sick of it! Dane really likes the song too. The saxaphone is our favorite part.

One of My Interests

Okay, so ISU has become one of my interests. It feels like it is MY own little university, as cheesy as that sounds. I am proud of the education I received from ISU. I LOVE the people here. I am just proud to be an ISU grad! Maybe it is the recruiter in me, but I just heard about this video today and had to post it. (I recruit for ISU as a job! It is a lot of fun.) I want to share this video with other proud ISU alumni! I was so excited to see a video of my ISU online! (I really know that ISU isn't MY school, but I just really love it here!) I get chills when I think about the good things that are happening on our campus right now. I look forward to our future!

Now know that there is much, much more to my life than ISU. (I don't want anyone to think that I live, eat, breathe, and sleep ISU.) I am just very appreciative of the time I have spent here, the people I have met here, and the things I have learned here!

Without further adieu, here is the link for Idaho State's video! Go Bengals!http://youniversitytv.com/beta/index.php

I was just tagged! I will admit that I don't have the most original responses, but it is still fun to think about these things!

7 Things I plan to do before I die…
1. Have a GIGANTIC library in my house! (We have been collecting books, and they are so great to have around...until you have to move!)
2. Get a Master's Degree ( I really want to get a PhD, but I do want children in the near future.)
3. Go to Italy and Germany
4. Go to a play on Broadway (Ideally, I would see Wicked!)5. Develop some new skills and talents (I have a few right now....sewing, scrapbooking, playin
g the guitar, baking cakes, golfing, photography, snowboarding, quilting, interior desing, etc.)
6. Become the "hang out" home. (Dane and I want our home to be the cool place for our kids and their friends to spend time. This may require that I develop some baking skills. I hope to make cookies like Cody's mom!)
7. Become a fabulous wife, mom, grandma, sister, daughter, granddaughter (Families are the best!)

7 Things I can do…
1. Multi-task
2. Learn and read (I LOVE school and learning!)
3. Have a great time with Dane
4. Rest!! (Not the best quality!)
5. Play the organ (Something I will probably do until I am 90!)
6. Care about others
7. Smile a lot

7 Things I cannot do…
1. Find where I am going (I am the worst with directions...I still get lost in IF and Pocatello! Thank heavens for Google Maps and GPS!)
2. Watch scary movies (And that's about all that I can find on tv this week!)
3. Sew (I still wonder how I got an A in my fabrics class!)
4. Keep a bag of chocolate or candy in the house for more than a day without it getting eaten. (I will generally consume an entire bag of chocolate within 24 hours—I have very little self-control when it comes to sweets!)
5. Play a game without feeling competitive.
6. Touch door handles in public restrooms
7. Fake anything around Dane (He reads me very well!)

7 Things That Attracts Me To Dane…
1. He has a great sense of humor and is very witty (He can always make me laugh)
2. He is athletic (Dane called me a jersey-chaser at one point. How sad!)
3. He is so supportive
4. He is the most genuine person I know
5. He is very giving to others and is always serving his friends and family
6. He is definitely attractive
7. He is great with kids (The other day our niece ran right past me into his arms. She loves him!)

7 Things I say most often…
1. Holy Nedskies! (Also—many phrases generally used by the older populations)
2. What a day!
3. Fabulous
4. I can find out for you.
5. You won’t believe what I dreamed about last night! (Dane hates listening to my wacky dreams, but he continues to do so nonetheless)
6. What do you want to do? (I am very indecisive)
7. “I am going to change the world!” or “I have this new goal…”

7 Favorite Celebs
1. Steve Carrell (I LOVE “The Office” and “Dan in Real Life”)
2. Russell Crowe
3. Taylor Swift (So great in concert and just a nice girl)
4. Ken Jennings, the amazing Jeopardy guy (and a personal hero of mine!)
5. Jack Black
6. Kate Hudson (She has perfect curly hair)
7. Dane (I really don’t have favorite celebrities, and Kade told me that Dane was a local celebrity…hehe!)

7 Favorite Foods
1. Ice Cream (My very favorite)
2. Mexican Food
3. Italian Food
4. Pizza
5. Chocolate
6. Cereal
7. Spaghetti Soup (A Sucher family staple food)

7 People who should do this (You’re tagged)
1. Heather
2. Kelli
3. Shanna
4. Becky
5. Lisa
6. The Beorchia Clan
7. Missy

it sure has been a while

It has been a while since the last post, for a few reasons: my poor laptop is sick and refuses to work, I haven't taken many picutres, and life has been crazy! I was convinced that as soon as I was done with school and working life would magically slow down, and boy...was I wrong! Life has been so good though.

Dane and I are enjoying every minute of our family ward. Dane is loving the Young Men, and I have enjoyed Relief Society. I continue to have those "grateful I'm right here, right now" moments. A while back a nine-year-old boy sprayed his mase into his eyes right after church (and this wasn't one of those grateful moments, mind you--I felt terrible for that poor little boy.) Dane was asked to help him clean out his eyes. Poor boy! Dane said that he used to do stuff like that all the time as a boy. Ooh--my eyes hurt just thinking about it. We have the most diverse ward, and I love it. We have a British man, with a definite British sense of humor. I love his comments! However, I really don't understand his sense of humor sometimes, and I hate feeling lost in a joke! There is never a shortage of interesting moments, from children running wild through the chapel, to hilarious comments in class. It is like a home for us.

Oh, and I have some very exciting news...well, to me it is exciting. Dane and I are moving on Monday. Thanks to some great friends, Dane and I got an apartment management position. AKA: free rent! It is really close to campus as well, which means we are a hop, skip, and jump away from school and work. We are just getting ready for the move now. I can hardly wait! We have really been blessed. I had been so frustrated because for the last eight months or so, the housing situation just hadn't worked out for us. Things would look great then fall through. I was beginning to think that we would be in our tiny apartment forever!

On a side note: Dane and I love the property owners that we will work for! We went to their house just a few nights ago and talked forever about our dating and marriage stories. They are the most hilarious couple around. It was so fun to see them tease eachother but at the same time show so much love for one another. It will be so fun to work under them. I really want to invite them over some time for dinner! They are so fun to have conversations with, and I really think that I will learn a lot from them!

Dane's brother Kade is living in the apartment next to us for a few weeks until his apartment opens up. Brei and Brylei will be moving up on Friday. We have spent quite a bit of time with Kade these last few weeks. We have also consumed a LOT of ice cream. This seems to be a weakness for Kade too.

Dane's birthday was last week. He is a whopping 24 years old! As I have mentioned earlier, Dane LOVES golfing. To be a good wifey, I purchased a new hybrid club for Dane, to finish upgrading his set. He was so happy with the gift. I had wanted to get something that he really wants, and I knew this would be the best thing! Dane would have been happy with anything, but I still wanted his birthday to be special! I did mess up on one birthday thing: I purchased some chocolates that Dane and I love, a bag just for Dane. Well, without even thinking really I ate the entire bag in about a half hour. Dane only got one chocolate. I obviously have a problem!

Well, that's about all that is new with us. I hope to get some pictures up next time. This blog is becoming a bit boring! Take care!

WHEW!!

Life has been in fast-forward mode lately!
We have had quite a few visits from family lately, which we LOVE. Last week my sister Kayla and a couple friends spent the night at our apartment. It was fun to hang out with some fun teenagers. Kayla is one of the coolest girls around. I think I tell Dane that almost every single day. Now that Kayla is almost 18...ahh...we have become quite the friends. She is not such a little girl anymore, and that is freaking me out!
Last weekend Dane and I went to Josh and Kelli's apartment to watch conference. I had so much fun there. Needless to say, we play a two-and-a-half hour game of Settlers of Catan. I never thought it would end!! We were quite the competitive group! Those two have created a beautiful home, and I love to visit. They are two of our very favorite people. Kelli is one of the best sisters around! We wish the two of them the best.
Dane's brother Kade and his family are moving to Pocatello. Kade has stayed with a few times looking for jobs and apartments. Here is some great news: he just got a job on campus today--which equals incredible insurance and $5 credits for him. I couldn't be happier for him! He will be staying with us all next week, and I am stoked to have him around. Dane can't wait to have his brother semi-permanently in town. This will equal a LOT of golfing time for the two. They just can't seem to get enough of it. Golf is quite the addicting game though. I was trying to convince my co-worker that he should try golf...I mean....this guy is ATHLETIC. He would be great at golf. Maybe I will someday love golf as much as Dane does.
Hmmm....the search for a new apartment is still on. We are hoping to move on campus. It seems like the ideal area for us: close to our jobs, close to our schooling. We hope to hear back soon. This is exciting though--WE JUST GOT A SECTIONAL COUCH! It is going to be about the most comfortable couch ever.
I started my job at ISU last week. Shawnee also started the same day. I will admit that we have felt a bit lost at times, but we are so excited to get going. It is good to have eachother. Oh, and I am a Recruitment Specialist for Idaho State. I spent this last week on the road, going to college fairs in Idaho. It has been a CRAZY week. My feet won't work, and my voice won't work anymore. I have really enjoyed getting to know the other recruiters and lots and lots of students. My job is so exciting and so fun. I don't even feel like I am actually working!
Well, that's about it for the crazy life. I finally get to spend some time with Dane after this crazy week on the road, and I am happy to be home! Oh, and this is so silly, but I got to drive a suburban for the first time ever...we took a government vehicle across the state. I am growing up! Hope everything is well with all of you!

A Good Friend

Having good friends is one of the best blessings we could have! My picture of heaven is full of friends and family. I couldn't imagine heaven any other way.
I just have to say how grateful we are for one particular friend, Ratimo Aduke! He visited our house the other night and reminded me of why life is just so good. He has such an optimistic, beautiful view of life. He cares deeply about others and is one of the most outgoing and kind people around Pocatello. Talking to him was like a breath of fresh air. I think we all know people who help us feel refreshed and full of happiness whenever we are around them. That is Ratimo! I hope someday to be like this too.
Ratimo was baptized about two years ago...well, two years ago on September 9th. I was so excited when he was baptized and a year later ordained an Elder. What a great addition to the church. I have grown up as a member my whole life and couldn't imagine life without the church. I have been blessed to see how the Gospel has changed Ratimo's life and Dane's life.
Anyway, congrats to Ratimo for these two amazing years. I look forward to watching as he makes a profound impact on the people around him. Dane and I are so grateful for him and wish him the very best in all he does!

Our First Tradition

When Dane and I started dating, we watched The Office all the time. I think that was how we spent a lot of our first Christmas break together, actually. We love the show and think it is hilarious. One of my favorite things in the world is Dane's laugh...and I am guaranteed to hear it if we watch the show. Anyway, Dane and I established our first tradition last year, and what a weird tradition it is. We purchased the third season of The Office the before it was even shelved at the store, a Monday night just before midnight. Then we had to watch a few episodes, sort of breaking the season in. Well, of course we had to continue the tradition this year. Having to work the next morning didn't even deter us! We arrived at Wal-Mart just before midnight to get the fourth season. We even saw someone else there, doing the same thing (it was one of the Comedy Project guys; I swear I see them everywhere!). After we got our prize we took it home to watch an episode before going to bed.I do have to add that Dane and I no longer have cable television--we had free cable for a while. I do enjoy not having television to a certain extent, but I have to say that Dane and I have watched all four seasons too many times now. We can only watch our collection of movies so many times...plus it's college football season! We have spent a lot of quality time together lately though, playing games...and I have read like 50 books recently! Well, not 50...but a lot!

Our Newest Hobby

Dane and I have quite a few "favorite activities."
Lately we have been playing a lot of Settlers of Catan. Dane and I are pretty evenly matched in the game. We like playing games together, but we are both very competitive. I have to win at least once to enjoy playing though. We used to play cribbage, but I quit because Dane beat me five times in a row. I think we'll pick that one back up soon. I am pretty much over the losses now!
We also love getting ice cream. Now, I know this is not the healthiest activity, but we really can't help it. I think we average ice cream nights about once or twice each week. Farr's Ice Cream in Pocatello has $1 scoop ice cream, so we can't help but go when Dane gets tips at the golf course. He'll bring the tips home and we know exactly what they are for!
We got a Wii Fit about a month ago. Dane and I use it more for competition than anything. We just find an activity that we are good at and beat all the other person's scores. We both think it's hilarious. Dane and I really aren't that competitive, I promise!
With the new season of The Office coming out next week, Dane and I have been prepping by watching as many episodes as possible this last week or two. (It is easy when we don't have cable television!) We watched The Office for an entire Christmas Break when we started dating. We both really like the show!
The last couple nights Dane and I have played night golf...our new favorite activity. Dane picked up a couple glowing golf balls from Precision Golf (Dane's favorite store) as a surprise. We went out with a couple guys Dane works with on the course. I really like everyone Dane works with...and I really like golf now! I think that makes Dane happy. I think Dane gets even happier than I do when I hit good shots. I love going out with him because he makes me feel so good! Next summer I am going to spend my free time at the course. I really want us to have something like this to do together. We'll be the old couple that always comes to the course. I think next year we'll even play couples' league. I can't wait for that!

We went with Benji and Brandon, who work with Dane. I love going with them because they are HILARIOUS! Benji is an incredible golfer too, so he is fun to watch. He is leaving on a mission soon, so we wish him the best of luck in Colorado!

Here we are after 9 holes. Dane had to pose with his Scottie Cameron putter. He slept with the putter next to our bed the other night, more as a joke than anything! Sheesh! Working at a golf course has been good to his golf set-up! He is very proud of that guy!

New Temple

Dane and I LOVE having visitors at our little apartment, so the other week was great. Our apartment is a bit small, so we hope to soon have a two-bedroom apartment for anyone that stays with us!

My younger sister Kayla spent a few days here in Pocatello with us. She and Dane get along very well. We didn't have brothers in the Sucher family, so Dane is kind of like a big brother to her, and he is really, really good! Kayla and Dane spent quite a bit of time at the golf course. Dane loves golfing (and even works at the golf courses--which is the best summer job Dane could ask for), and he loves introducing people to the game. I think Kayla really enjoys golfing actually. Dane said that she picked it up really fast!

The highlight of Kayla's visit for me was definitely the Twin Falls temple though. Kayla traveled down to Twin with us, where we met up with Dane's family for the open house. The temple is absolutely amazing! You can't help but notice all the detail in the building. I was glad we could all be there. Of course, Brei, Kayla, and I all brought our cameras. We pack those things around! Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Our neice Brylei is getting so big. She is a beautiful little girl! Well, later on in the week Kade, Dane's brother, came up for a day of golf. Needless to say, golf was the primary topic of conversation in the house for a couple days. I didn't mind because I really like golf. I just am not as good as the brothers! Kade, Brei, and Brylei are moving to Pocatello soon. Dane and I can hardly wait. It is so nice to have family close, and they are one fun family. We have spent a lot of time with our families this summer. Family becomes more and more important to us all the time. We have both been incredibly blessed with great families!
On one final note, Sunday was the dedication of the Twin Falls temple. It was exciting to participate in that event. I am amazed that we received two new temples so close by this past year. I am sure that the area will be so blessed with their presence. One of the best parts of the dedication was listening to the Prophet Thomas S. Monson. He is one incredible man, and I love to hear him speak. He has such a cheerful, fun spirit. Dane and I were so grateful we could participate in the experience. What a great Sunday!

The One-Year Mark

Today is the one-year mark of our marriage. Dane and I can't believe that we have already been married for a year...it has gone by so fast. I thought that for this post, I would write up, in summarized fashion, our "couple history." We have had a wonderful past and hope to have an even better future!
Dane and I officially met at my apartment after an Institute function. He knew my roommates well and came by occasionally to visit them. (Some time later Dane revealed to me that he told his friend that night that he would marry me. I really don't know if he meant this, but I loved hearing it after we actually got married!) My roommate Kayla told me that he had asked about me, and I developed a crush. (I refused to like a boy until I noticed some interest from his way.) But, thank heavens for Kayla. Without her acting as our "middle agent," Dane and I agree that we never would have married! I was a little too shy at first.
We finally started dating about three months later. It took a while! I really only thought the relationship would last for a couple weeks. I was convinced that Dane get bored and move on. I was convinced that he was just too good for me! Well, we actually kept dating....and dating....until we were engaged about six months later, in May.
Dane and I walked to Ross Park, which we had done several times since the weather had warmed up. We started swinging (cheesy, but fun), when Dane pointed out a blanket in the distance. He suggested that we should check the scene out, but I refused. It wasn't our business. He mentioned it a couple times, so I finally said yes. I noticed some sparkling cider, chocolates, and roses when we got closer to the blanket. Then I figured we should get away as soon as possible...someone would be proposing there, and we shouldn't interrupt their moment. When we didn't leave I finally realized that it was for me....I had been completely oblivious!
My sister Kelli was engaged a few weeks earlier, so the summer of wedding planning was a bit hectic for my family. I stayed as uninvolved as possible! My sister and I were married two weeks apart. Though the summer was stressful, my family was happy to welcome some boys...Dane and Josh!
Dane and I were married, of course, on August 10th, 2007. To this day, I get the butterflies when I think that we're married. Married life is still very new and fun for us. Our first year of marriage consisted of work (and lots of it), school (and lots of it), watching episodes of The Office over and over, getting ice cream at least once or twice each week, playing some golf, weekend road trips to visit the families, going to SAB events (poor Dane), and laughing all the time. Dane revealed his funny side after we got married!
Changes or new times always give me reasons to reflect and remember how great life truly is. This first year was great. I can't wait to see what the next has in store for us!

WONDERFUL Weekend

Dane and I have spent almost every weekend away from home this summer. We have had a great time visiting friends and family. This weekend was really a treat for us, though. One of our good friends Hillary was getting married in Idaho Falls, so we were sure to attend her reception. We both love Hillary and were so happy to see good things work out for her. I have known Hillary since sixth grade and have found her to be such a talented, optimistic, loving person.

ISU has been an especially GREATplace for me. I have loved getting to see many of my high school and middle school friends grow up right here. I have been able to watch them grow into incredible leaders and even better friends. Dane and I have also made new friends here. We often talk about how good friends have influenced our lives so much! When you spend time with good people, you can grow and learn so much.

Another highlight of the night was taking my little sister Kayla to ice cream at our new favorite place, Leatherby's. This little ice cream shop has become and definite stop when we come to Idaho Falls. Better than the ice cream was spending time with Kayla. I almost can't even call Kayla my little sister. She is getting so old and is growing up so QUICKLY. Now I look at Kayla as more of a peer. I know that Kayla and Dane get along so well too. Dane has just been a great fit in the family!

My good friend Kayla was in town this weekend for Hillary's reception. I always look forward to her visits. On Saturday was had an early birthday celebration for our friend Natalie. Friends came up from Idaho Falls to hang out too. The best part of the night was playing volleyball. Dane had to work, so he couldn't play with us. That was the only thing that could have made the night better! ILOVE playing volleyball but haven't been able to play lately. I got some scrapes on my arms and my feet were sore from the sand, but I was still on cloud nine because I was able to play. What a great weekend!

Just Getting Started

I have debated starting a blog for quite some time, but today I decided that it would be a really fun thing to do. I love journals, so this is just another way to preserve some history and keep in touch with people. Dane and I are moving in on the end of our first year of marriage, and it has really been one wonderful year. We are best friends and really have a lot of fun together, no matter what we are doing. I honestly never thought that being married could be so good. Things have just worked out for the best! This summer we have been able to spend time with friends and family. I am learning more and more each day how important those relationships are! I have loved getting to know myself, Dane, and our families better. We are definitely surrounded by great people. I hope that blogging will help me keep in better touch with the people that mean a lot to me!